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DEAR CHRIST CHURCH FAMILY--
Once again, we approach the season of Lent.
I remember once overhearing a friend, a lifelong church goer, moan, "I don't like Lent any more!" She missed the Alleluias, I know, and didn't look forward to the weeks of purple penitence. Mostly she dreaded her annual practice of giving up caffeine, which she always gritted her teeth and did, as her own outward Lenten observance. The trouble was, my friend had forgotten the inward thing of which her outward practice of no Alleluias, purple and caffeine denial were but signs: her own inner spiritual growth and attention to God.
Lent (or "springtime") begins on Ash Wednesday, although you won't find any mention of either Lent or Ash Wednesday in the Bible. Early Christians began the practice of preparing to observe Christ's passion and resurrection by each year setting aside a few days of penitence and fasting. Eventually those days evolved into a whole season, during which converts were prepared for Holy Baptism, sinners restored to the fellowship of the Church and the whole congregation put in mind of God's promise of pardon and forgiveness and the need for all Christians continually to renew their repentance and faith.
The Church invites us all to the observance of a Holy Lent. There are many ways for us to participate: by fasting, self-examination, repentance, meditating on scripture and/or other readings. We can take things we like away from our lives (like my friend denying herself caffeine) or we can take on some new discipline (Lenten Study groups, daily readings, special times of prayer…..). Or some combination of those things.
Whatever we do, we do as a way of putting ourselves right with God ("righteousness"), of remembering we are mortals, loved by our Creator and by Jesus who lived and died for all of us.
Lent can be a wonderful, albeit spiritually strenuous, time. We walk with Jesus during these forty days, during his relentless journey towards his Passion and Cross.
And at the end, of course, we participate with the first witnesses at the empty tomb on Easter and rejoice at his resurrection. "At the end?" No, not the end, but the beginning: the beginning of new life and the promises of God fulfilled for all time!
My friend, as it turned out, came to trust once again in Lent and its purpose for herself. She realized that she could only fully rejoice at Easter by first living a holy and observant Lent.
Anne
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