Made progress in Lent (8)
I believe the answer is:
advanced
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'made progress' is the first definition.
('advance' can be a synonym of 'make progress')
'lent' is the second definition.
(advancing is a kind of lending)
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for advanced that I've seen before include "subbed" , "was approaching" , "Complex; very modern" , "Far on in progress or life" , "Foremost" .)