| Dear Friends, Next Wednesday will be Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of our observance of the season of Lent. We will begin the forty days by receiving ashes upon our heads as a sign of our origin in God’s love and the humility that comes from recalling our mortality. We will also receive a very special invitation to the “observance of a holy Lent.” I am meditating on that word, holy, this year. It comes from ancient words that mean something like special, set apart, or dedicated. Lent can be holy for many reasons. Traditionally, it is a time dedicated to taking inventory and making amends for the wrongs we have committed toward God, others, and even ourselves (we often call that process “repentance”). It has also been a time of fasting—of depriving, in some way, the appetites of our bodies (some form of food, pleasure, or frivolity) in pursuit of greater spiritual enlightenment and communion. One of the most important connections to fasting in the Christian tradition is almsgiving: the practice of making special provision from our own resources to alleviate the suffering of those who are poor or vulnerable—giving to others in need. I know that many of us have, over the years, been creative in observing Lent in ways that infuse the season with new meaning for our particular sensibilities. However we observe Lent as individuals and as a community, the invitation is to make it holy: set it apart, dedicate ourselves to this special time and space, and make it a meaningful season to reconnect with God and one another through prayer, service, and generosity. To make Lent holy, we will need to set our intentions. That is why I am writing about it today: to give us time over the next few days to pray and consider how we will set aside the coming forty days of Lent so they may reorient us toward a loving God and toward love for the world around us. Let us join together to observe a holy Lent and grow as people of faith, persistence, and witness in a world longing for light and life. With you, Scott+ The Rev. R. Scott Painter, Rector |
