Dear Ones,
Ready or not, we are entering into the season of Lent. There are many ways to look at Lent. For some, Lent is little more than a speed bump on the road to Easter. For others, it is a time for introspection, repentance and reflection on our relationship with God.
The Church certainly changes its tone and approach to worship. The tone becomes more somber and with regard to worship, we drop all references to “alleluias.” Our opening acclamation changes and the hymns we sing tell of Jesus’ sacrifices. Our prayers are more introspective, we suspend the use of flowers in the chancel, and many of the symbols of faith are shrouded in purple (the liturgical color of Lent).
I invite you to look at Lent as a time for a personal journey, a pilgrimage if you will, that leads us over these forty days to the events of Holy Week, to the foot of the Cross and, ultimately, to the promise of new life at Easter. Along the way we’ll hear through lessons the story of other sojourners who travel with us.
A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place made with devotional intention. The journey begins with repentance, a turning around, and a change of direction. In the New Testament, this is called a metanoia (Greek for conversion). This journey requires a separation from one place and a set of conditions to concentrate on the goal of the journey. It requires us to simply not look about, but to look for a holy place--Jesus’ cross and tomb. For most of us this journey is spiritual--we don’t actually leave our home or jobs or community. The journey we make is in our mind and heart.
Lent calls us to leave the places in our life where our Christian identity is not lived out. Lent calls us to leave those places where we no longer feel at peace with ourselves, with those we love, or with God. One of the great purposes of Lent is to bring us to ourselves. Lent allows us the opportunity to realize that our present condition is not the only condition of our true home. Despite our sense of comfort, we are like aliens in a strange land. Lent invites us to come home.
The pilgrimage we take through Lent becomes a focus, a catalyst for us. When we are on a pilgrimage, everything can be understood as part of the way, the journey itself. Everything and everyone we meet along the way is part of our pilgrimage experience. Along our way we find that our pilgrimage is not done in isolation and that the path of our journey is well worn. We take our pilgrimage within ourselves and within our community of faith. Lent is a community activity. The pilgrimage we take, we take with one another. Together we gain insights about ourselves, each other, and God.
In a sense, Lent brings nothing new, only an identification of what we do as Christians.
The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a solemn call to conversion, and a call to follow a different road, one that will lead us to God in Christ. This road brings us out of our mundane existence and provides a new view of our lives. Come. Put on your walking shoes and let us journey through Lent together.
Peace,
Roy+
