Lent

Yesterday was the First Day of Lent, or Ash Wednesday, which begins the tradition forty day period of reflection, fasting, and abstinence which precedes Easter in the Western Liturgical Calendar. We had our usual service of the Penitential Office and Holy Communion, and officially declared that the Lenten season is upon us once more. I am sure there have been those folks who have been wondering what to give up for the season, and those who have been deriding the whole concept, but they do not seem to have been as vocal on the internet this year as in previous years... Or perhaps it is just the algorithm.

For the refuseniks, Lent is not something to be afraid of. The word itself comes from the Old English Lencten meaning spring, that blessed season of the year in which the world comes back to life after the darkness of winter. Rather than concentrate on the old penitential disciplines, I tend to focus on the idea of Lent being a spring for the soul, or rather a spring clean. It is an opportunity to reflect on our spiritual lives, and to evaluate what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong, and what we are not doing at all. It is a time to take stock and put in order. Every Lent there are two basic questions that we need to ask ourselves: First question - have we acquired any bad habits that we need to get rid of? Time to have an audit of a screen time, our trips to the coffee shop, and those other little indulgences that eat our time, energy, and money. Have we become neglectful of some aspect of our Christian life and witness? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then we need to take action.

Second question - are we being faithful in daily prayer and Bible reading, going to church each Sunday, receiving Holy Communion, and taking the opportunity to do "all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in"? If the answer to this question is yes, then good, but remember this should not incline us to complaisance because all of us have the opportunity, through the grace of God, to do better.

Most of all, let us be thankful for the great gift that we have received in Jesus Christ, who is our life, our hope, and our salvation. All of us are sinners in need of the grace of God. Even though we may not be aware of any active sins on our part, there are many sins of omission committed out of our own laziness or lack of awareness. For this reason, I have always been rather fond of the General Confession at Morning and Evening Prayer in the old Prayer Book which as us confess:

"We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those thing which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us."

The first two propositions are simple statements of fact, whilst the third reminds us that humanity - which means us - lives in a state of rebellion against God which can only be overcome through God's grace, and our repentance. Please use this Lent to the glory of God, and the good of your own soul.