I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.
These words come from the introduction to the Ash Wednesday Liturgy and sum up what Lent should mean for us.
We follow Jesus into the desert for forty days growing closer to Him, growing in understanding of ourselves and growing in our spiritual lives through shared prayer, meditation, almsgiving, reading and fasting.
Our spiritual life is the base from which our relationship with Christ and our compassion for the world grows and blossoms, so it is essential that we use this season as an opportunity to focus on spending quality time with Him who is the ground of our being.
Lent is a time for us to concentrate on spending more time with Jesus in the desert, in meditation and contemplative prayer, reading scripture and books which guide us on our spiritual journey and help us to focus on the meaning of Christ in our lives today.
Our spiritual life is a journey which helps us to get to know our true selves better, where we come to know what it truly means to be a child of God; it is an adventure that Jesus walks with us and where we grow ever closer to Him.
Besides the Lent course there will be a number of opportunities to sustain yourself on the journey, beginning with Ash Wednesday and the imposition of the ashes. There will be prayer stations in the church to help give point of focus (the church is open during the week 9-3), opportunities to use the church for private devotion and books you can borrow to aid spiritual growth. Should any one wish to speak to me about reading, prayer, meditation or for personal guidance, just ask.
Easter is the central Christian Feast when we share in the joy of the resurrection, and, like any great celebration, it deserves preparation and planning. Lent is the season when we prepare ourselves to share in the joy and compassion of the resurrected Christ.
May we all grow through our Lenten journey which leads us to the light of the Risen Lord.
Jim
Priest-in-Charge
