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A Spiritual Journey Through The Lenten Season
Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. The early church fathers looked to Mark 1: 9-13 as the biblical basis for the Lenten season. Thus, as Jesus prepared for his public ministry with forty days of prayer and fasting, the ancient church came to identify the forty weekdays before Easter Sunday as a time of spiritual renewal.
A common practice that developed in the church and that is still practiced today, is that of giving up something during the forty days of Lent. But why? What is the purpose of choosing to abstain from something, and how does it bring one closer to God?
When Jesus went out into the desert in Mark’s gospel we read that he was ‘tempted,’ but the text is better translated as ‘tested.’ In going out into the desert to fast Jesus cast aside the wants, priorities, and distractions of the world in order to focus on the Father.
During Lent we are all called by the Spirit and driven out into our own deserts. We are called to renew ourselves in the Father’s love, and find our true satisfaction as disciples of our Lord. We are called to put aside some of life’s distractions and to simply focus on God in new ways. And so, this year I would like to suggest that you add something to your life rather than give something up. I would like you to consider adding five minutes of uninterrupted prayer to you daily routine each day.
For it is through undistracted prayer that we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, and our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to: recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with our souls renewed.
The purpose of Lent, the purpose of a new spiritual discipline during Lent, is so that each of us can focus on Christ without distraction. So during this Lenten season let God have you, all of you, and let God love you. Don’t be surprised when your heart begins to widen or when you have a more compassionate disposition; this is
God’s grace at work in your life. This Lenten season I encourage you to make a commitment to daily prayer and to experience Christ’s renewing and empowering love.
A common practice that developed in the church and that is still practiced today, is that of giving up something during the forty days of Lent. But why? What is the purpose of choosing to abstain from something, and how does it bring one closer to God?
When Jesus went out into the desert in Mark’s gospel we read that he was ‘tempted,’ but the text is better translated as ‘tested.’ In going out into the desert to fast Jesus cast aside the wants, priorities, and distractions of the world in order to focus on the Father.
During Lent we are all called by the Spirit and driven out into our own deserts. We are called to renew ourselves in the Father’s love, and find our true satisfaction as disciples of our Lord. We are called to put aside some of life’s distractions and to simply focus on God in new ways. And so, this year I would like to suggest that you add something to your life rather than give something up. I would like you to consider adding five minutes of uninterrupted prayer to you daily routine each day.
For it is through undistracted prayer that we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, and our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to: recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with our souls renewed.
The purpose of Lent, the purpose of a new spiritual discipline during Lent, is so that each of us can focus on Christ without distraction. So during this Lenten season let God have you, all of you, and let God love you. Don’t be surprised when your heart begins to widen or when you have a more compassionate disposition; this is
God’s grace at work in your life. This Lenten season I encourage you to make a commitment to daily prayer and to experience Christ’s renewing and empowering love.
September 2010 Newsletter