Every year, in addition to searching for books to help me reflect on Advent, I also look for thoughtful books to read during Lent.  I hunted on Amazon.com and stumbled upon some worthy new selections to add to my collection.

Here are three choices that will inspire and help you focus on the meaning of this season.

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter – An anthology that includes the essays and poetry of theological heavyweights such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Frederich Buechner.  There are also literary surprises from Dylan Thomas and John Updike.

Christians at the Cross by N.T. Wright – A collection of Holy Week sermons given to a community that is suffering through hard economic times. Could this be more timely? Plus, it’s a short, easy read.

The Voice: The Book of Matthew by Lauren Winner – A new translation of the Gospels that features commentary by one of my favorite authors, Lauren Winner. She gives some great historical insights from a Jewish perspective that really enhance the narrative of the Gospel itself.

For complete Lent features, visit Beliefnet’s Lent Page.