Should we observe lent?

I'm a huge fan of following a annual cycle of events that allow you to learn and experience all the aspects of our faith in a balanced and rhythmic way.

Non-Catholics like me who begin to long for these faith rooting traditions typically begin this practice by observing lent - a 40 day period of fasting before Easter.

As I wrestled through whether or not to participate I kept asking questions like -

* What is the overall purpose?
* Why 40 days?
* How does this event fit into the rhythm of the year?

As I probed deeper I began to realize that this event has a very similar purpose to the Jewish high holy days and Yom Kippur in particular where Jews fast and focus on holiness.

Jewish festivals almost always last one-week because they develop rhythm of sevens (7 days, 7 years and 7x7 year to the year of Jubilee) as established by God in the Torah.

I went to the Catholic Encyclopedia to understand the origin of lent and they explain that the Apostles seemed to implement a period of preparation for Easter but it was only one week and was changed to a 40 day period around 300AD.

So let me state my question succinctly - Why should we Protestants "return to our roots" and honor our Catholic heritage if that means following the traditions of a church that completely rejected their Jewish roots in almost every way.

To follow the Catholic calendar established by church tradition with no regard for the Torah means continuing to abandon the Torah calendar established by God.

Yes, I think its fine to add things to the Torah calendar but it should be done to supplement what is already there and not to replace this God given annual rhythm.

It’s wonderful to have an annual rhythm of events but those events must be carefully balanced. It doesn't make sense to spend one week focusing on holiness in the Fall during Yom Kippur and then focus on it again for 40 more days in the winder for Lent.

Shouldn't we spend the week leading up to Easter as Jesus did - focusing on Passover first (our freedom from the slavery of sin by the power of God) and then celebrate the events that led to that freedom - Christ's death burial and resurrection?