The Season of Lent begins
The Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22nd. On that day, we will gather for our worship of Almighty God and experience together the Holy Eucharist and the traditional Imposition of Ashes – 12:00 Noon. The ashes are both a sign of our mortality and sinfulness, but they are also a sign of our hope and need for a God who lives and continues to lead us deeper into his heart. With this dramatic act of devotion, we now each begin our journey through Lent, toward the sorrow of Good Friday and toward the victory of Easter morning.
Lent is an important time for every person of faith. It is a time set apart for all the people of God. It is also a time when each of us have been given a unique opportunity to reflect upon our spiritual lives. It is a time to search inward and to seek penitence, prayer, and renewal - in other words, to seek God’s continuing touch in the lives we live.
The disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving have traditionally been associated with Lent. This is because they are acts of self-denial and thus, have been helpful to many in their preparation for our Lord’s death and resurrection. I would certainly commend these kinds of disciplines to you as you begin your experience of Lent. They are acts of devotion.
But, I would also like to suggest that you think of Lent not just in terms of what you might give up (sacrifice), but also in terms of what you might take on (another form of sacrifice) in your daily expression of offering yourself to the Lord this Lent.
This taking on of something might be as simple as spending an extra five minutes a day in personal or family prayer or Bible reading. It might be in devoting yourself to some kind of special project a home, at church, or perhaps somewhere else. This offering might be in paying extra attention to your attendance at worship on Sunday mornings. It might be in paying better attention to your attendance at our weekly Lenten community program on Wednesday evenings. Particularly during this season of Lent, it might be striving for regular participation in our weekly adult class with Dr Bill Stancil at 9:15 am on the Sundays of Lent.
As you can see, there is much to draw you closer to God during Lent at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. BUT, you need to take the first step in order to realize any spiritual advantage in your life.
Wherever you find yourself in your own spiritual journey, Lent offers you a unique opportunity to arrive at Easter Day refreshed and renewed, touched by the grace of God. Think about the opportunities of your life that your Lord may be directing you toward during this holy season of Lent………
Have a great week and I’ll see you in church!
Love,
Fr. Doug+
