Celebrating Lent

The short answer is:  “It doesn’t.”  What the Bible does say is:  “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).  God directs us to gather together as Christians and worship him.
In Old Testament times God spelled out the weekly day of worship (Saturday, the Sabbath) and the three major annual festivals (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles).  As New Testament Christians we are free from the ceremonial laws that commanded observance of those days and festivals (Galatians 4:9-11; Colossians 2:16-17).

In New Testament freedom Christians many centuries ago designed the festivals and seasons you mentioned as a way of putting special emphasis on the passive obedience and victorious resurrection of our Lord.

As Christians, the opportunity to attend special, additional worship services can pull us in different directions.  Our sinful nature, of course, abhors anything good and godly, and wants nothing to do with regular or special worship services.  On the other hand, our new self echoes the sentiments of King David: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”  (Psalm 122:1).  Our new self has that joyful attitude whether we are talking about regular or special worship services.

And so, during this season of Lent, our new self finds extra reasons to say:  “I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells” (Psalm 26:8).