LENT, A TIME FOR REFLECTION

On Wednesday, February 17 we entered the holy season of Lent, a period of forty days, not counting Sundays, leading up to the Easter celebration. The term "Lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten which means Spring. Sunday’s are excluded because, as people living on the “other side” of the resurrection, we recognize that on Easter God was ultimately victorious over our sin. So we celebrate each Sunday as a mini Easter.

Originally Lent was observed as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by converts who would be confirmed on Easter. Today, Lent is most often observed as a time for penance by Christians. The period of forty days is a reminder of the time Christ spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, but never sinning, as He prepared to begin his ministry. Unlike our Lord, as we remember and reflect upon our times of temptation, we will all have reason to repent during these days.

It is important that we recognize the full meaning of repentance. To be sure, repentance is about sorrow. We must begin by genuinely saying we are sorry, but words alone are not enough. True repentance is also about change. Discipline is an appropriate focus during these days. By either giving up something or some destructive attitude or by taking up some act of service or some attitude of grace, we remind ourselves of the need to give God first priority in our lives, ahead of the material things and human emotions we cherish so deeply. Then and only then will we truly be prepared to celebrate the wonder of Easter morning.

May the days of Lent be filled with reflection, repentance and great expectation as we each prepare ourselves to become more fully people of God’s kingdom and to celebrate God’s mercy and grace on Easter and forever more.

Reflectively Yours in Christ,
Rev. John