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"Lent is not without fire!"
It does seem hard to believe, but, in a very short while, the Season of Lent will be upon us and we will engage in our preparations for the coming of Easter. As I write this, it seems like only yesterday when we emerged from the celebration of Christmas, but, at this time of the year, events go by quickly and, sometimes, it is all we can do to simply keep up. It is with that thought in mind that I reflect upon the importance of this season in our Christian year as a time of thoughtful and profound reflection upon our walks of faith. Lent should be a time which impresses upon us that our spiritual journey is one which we encounter anew each waking day. The forty days of Lent can serve to remind us that our faith story is far from over. On the contrary, it is always in a state of new beginning.
Recently, I read an article by Hilary Hayden who is a monk of St. Anselm's Abbey in Washington, D.C. Its poignant message concerning the season we are approaching is one which I found helpful in viewing this season from the proper perspective. I would like to share it with you.
If we turn now to think about the season of Lent, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter, we find a dynamic of renewal. The mysteries of human suffering and weakness find a context in these days of preparation and celebration. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. The smudge of the cross on the forehead reminds us of our mortality: "dust to dust." But the believing Christian does not stop there. There may be need of great lament, but the mystery takes Christians beyond death and loss. We need the discipline of faith and understanding to sharpen our sense that our deep losses are known to God and that our cries will be answered. We need to grow in awareness of our membership in the community of faith and in the human community. We are called beyond the self and even beyond family concerns. Lent is not without fire, the fire of the Holy Spirit, God's love. We find the illumination of our lives by interpreting events in terms of the mystery.
Yes, "Lent is not without fire, the fire of the Holy Spirit." In many ways, this is a season to fan the flame of spiritual awakening which often dwindles amidst the fatigue of life's burdens. It is a season to emphasize the hope which is the legacy of humankind. The hope which Jesus the Christ, filled with the Spirit, embraced for us all. The season of Lent and its culmination in the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday serves as a poignant reminder that, in the midst of struggle, there is a hope which will always endure, a hope which has redeemed humankind from the pit of despair.
This past year has been one filled with the sorrows of a broken humanity. And, through it all, we took heart in the signs of hope, no matter how small they seemed to be. That is because we are a people of hope. It is part of who we are. It is the image in which we were created. As people of faith, we embrace this hope in a very special way, a way that lasts, filled with truth, and the peace which passes all understanding. This is the gift of Easter, and its realization is what we prepare for during this blessed time of Lent.
Let us take this walk together, in faith, study, and Christian love. May this season of Lent be a time of renewal for us all so that we may embrace the promise of Easter with a new enthusiasm and a joy which cannot be diminished.
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about Middletown United Methodist Church should be sent to the Church Office. |
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7108 Fern Circle · Middletown, MD 21769
voice: (301) 371-5550 · fax: (301) 473-8090
TTY: (301) 473-9892 |
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