Beginning with this week’s scriptures about Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness, Lent is the church season of penance and preparation before Holy Week. It is a time of reflection and repentance for our failures, failings, and shortfalling in faith. It is also a time to sort of “clean house” in our spirits, to sweep out the cobwebs of our souls and air our spirits out in preparation for the springtime of Easter. Many people undertake Lenten disciplines partly because it is an historical tradition but also because Lent’s forty days are long enough to develop a new habit or try out a new devotional or faith practice or to become involved in some sort of service to neighbors. Many people test drive journaling or a morning prayer or Bible reading time in Lent and find it worth continuing afterward. Give something like that a try.
Much Roman Catholic Lenten discipline has been about “giving something up for Lent,” although many more people are changing that to “giving something for Lent” and helping with community needs or donating time or money to missional projects. I rather like giving to others as a healthy Lenten practice. The Outreach Committee and a quick internet search for area opportunities can get you hooked up with something both helpful and spiritually renewing.
Most people don’t like the self-reflection and introspection Lent; it sort of messes with our internal stasis. In a way, it’s the Church (and God) telling us, “It’s time to get resynched to the holy. It may be jarring, but it’s good for you!” The switch to daylight saving time is likewise jarring (at least physically for most of us!), and it’s the industrial world saying, “Getting your clocks reset is good for you!” It takes a while to rebalance and assimilate internally to the change of the clocks and of the spiritual discipline, a couple of days for time changes, but perhaps a couple of weeks to internalize the reflective nature of Lent. But we do get used to it and get recalibrated to what is really important— the love of God dwelling among us in the life, death, resurrection of Jesus. And we are then prepared for the trajectory toward Holy Week. Winter will pass; spring will arrive. Death will pass; life will triumph. Lent gets us ready for Easter. Take some time to get synched up with God this Lent.
Spring ahead!
In Christ,
David
A special encouragement this week to attend worship: Cornell music professors Judy Kellock (soprano) and Mike Compitello (percussion) will perform a piece for voice and handbells by the late Sir John Tavener, who just died late last year, called “Lament, Last Prayer and Exaltation.” It comprises three haunting prayers by women of faith from different periods of church history.
Texts For Sunday Worship:
From the Hebrew Bible Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
From the Epistles Romans 5:12-19
From the Gospels Matthew 4:1-11
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