May the words that I speak be both spoken and received, in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Apparently, the word ‘Lent’ derives in Old English from a reference to Spring. At Least Springtime is with us which should bring a smile on our faces after enduring the Winter season. Lent is not meant to be a season of unhappiness or self-punishment. But neither should it be glossed over and soon forgotten about.
At Springtime some gardens are worth looking at for their variety of colour and splendour, often attracting hedgehogs, birds and insects, may even frogs for those who have ponds! To achieve this one must make the effort in the garden, otherwise it will just be a piece of barren land, overgrown with weeds.
It is similar in some respects to spiritual growth of ourselves. Preparation, time and effort must be applied otherwise thorns will appear in our lives. Lent does not mean a time of fasting, it is more about a time of preparation. Lent is a positive time and a season of opportunity and growth.
Old habits can be considered and if need be discarded. Just as a home needs a ‘Spring Clean’ to bring it back into shape, so we too ought to take stock of ourselves, our relationships with other people, and with God, and if necessary amend our lives. Some aspects of our lives may need to be focused on, and brought before God in prayer and in order to receive healing, forgiveness and guidance.
Lent is a time for a spiritual check up, and let’s face it we all need one on a regular basis. So special effort should be applied, otherwise we may struggle to improve. By the grace of God we can clear out those dark and musty areas of our lives, and bring in the freshness of his life-giving Spirit, aiming for spiritual renewal, and growing in faith, love and generosity.
Some people treat Lent as an opportunity to give up eating chocolates or cakes. But Lent is not a kind of Church-sponsored slimming session. It is worth remembering that in the gospel of Mark, there is no mention of Jesus fasting in the desert and Mark’s gospel is considered by some scholars to be the first gospel written. But in saying that, Mark tends to keep to the basic facts, whereas Luke and Matthew develop the themes more fully.
Throughout Lent we can aim to improve our attitudes and commitments as Christians. In face we can review all that we do. Life is about change and moving on, so we shouldn’t live in the past. What worked last year or even last week may not be right for today.
If we look at the world around us there is so much changing and the pace can be very quick. We change too, and what is sometimes completely overlooked is that God calls us as individuals and as a family in the church to move on. Throughout its history the Church from time to time has failed to follow God’s call. So let us be alert to the Holy Spirit.
During Lent there are are least 4 activities that can help us. Firstly, improving our knowledge of Christianity, which can include reading and learning. Opportunities for this are available on Thursday mornings at St Peter’s or of course in your time. This can also lead to the exploration of vocations in the church, and helping out!
Secondly, Alms-giving or charitable-giving. Giving generously financially both to the church and to improve the lives of other people. There are those people who really are struggling to make ends meet, even to survive, who need our help both financially and by other means. God gives graciously to us more than we deserve, so let us together give the best we can for what we truly value.
Thirdly, Prayer. If we think about prayer and ask what is it? A good definition is given by St Augustine. He said that, “Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God”. It’s worth bearing in mind that the knowledge that we are in God’s presence should be the ground of every prayer.
Prayer brings us into communication with God. Christ teaches us that God’s will should be done in, and through us. A faithful approach and an openness to listen and respond to God is helpful. Silent prayer is very beneficial. Simply being still before God and listening. Psalm 46 verse 10 states: “Be still and know that I am God”. Along with meditation and contemplation there is confession, thanksgiving and praise, petition (asking for our own needs) and intercession – praying for the needs of other people, on their behalf. Jesus spent much of his time in prayer to seek the will of God and we can follow his example.
Fourthly – Fasting. Fasting does help some people and is a common practise in other faiths like Islam and Judaism.
As we continue our journey through Lent, let us take the opportunities to set aside the time, like Jesus did, for spiritual growth, insight and renewal. We can feed on the spiritual food and drink given to us by God, in Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lent can help us to understand that the Gospel is about the confrontation of the forces of evil which are challenged by the love of God. This is revealed in the ministry of Christ. Without confrontation of this kind there can be no Good Friday, or the victory of Resurrection on Easter Day.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St Peter's Church 