Dear friends and members of Resurrection Lutheran,
This month, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22nd. Lent is the season preceding Easter: “Lent” is from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “springtime” and so is to be understood as the holy springtime of the soul, a time for preparation, planting, and growth.
Within the Christian community, since at least the fourth century, certain disciplines have been associated with this season whose purpose has been to lead persons deeper into the life of Christ. These disciplines have included prayer, confession, fasting and giving. I encourage each one of you to think about how you would like to intentionally live the 2012 Lenten season such that your life becomes more deeply united with Christ’s in his death and resurrection.
On Ash Wednesday, a prayer is spoken over the ashes: “Lord, bless these ashes by which we show that we are dust. Pardon our sins and keep us faithful to the discipline of Lent, for you do not want sinners to die but to live with the risen Christ.” That last phrase of the prayer, “for you do not want sinners to die but to live with the risen Christ,” is of utmost importance. Whatever we do, whatever we face during this season—or during our lives—we do so in the faith and hope that God’s desire is forgiveness and life, not vengeance and death.
This year, a primary focus at RLC during Lent is going to be on confession and forgiveness—not as an obligation, but a gift. In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther had this to say:
Confession consists of two parts. The first is my work and act, when I lament my sin and desire comfort and restoration for my soul. The second is a work which God does, when he absolves me of my sins through a word placed in the mouth of a person…..We should set little value on our work but exalt and magnify God’s Word……You dare not come and say how good or how wicked you are…..But what you must do is to lament your need and allow yourself to be helped so that you may attain a happy heart and conscience.
With this focus, I invite you to “hear” the words of the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness at the beginning of each Sunday morning worship service. I also invite any who would like, to come on any Tuesday night during Lent for Individual Confession and Forgiveness. I will be at church between 6:00-8:00p.m. each week, available for conversation and for this sacramental act. The sanctuary will also be open for any who would like to stop by for personal prayer.
In addition, on Wednesday nights, we will be having Evening Prayer from 7:00-7:30p.m. followed by a Bible study entitled, “Forgiven and Forgiving.” All are welcome; you may come for one or all five sessions. The study will begin on February 29.
I pray that this Lent will indeed be a “holy springtime” for our souls.
Peace,
Pastor Mary
This month, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22nd. Lent is the season preceding Easter: “Lent” is from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “springtime” and so is to be understood as the holy springtime of the soul, a time for preparation, planting, and growth.
Within the Christian community, since at least the fourth century, certain disciplines have been associated with this season whose purpose has been to lead persons deeper into the life of Christ. These disciplines have included prayer, confession, fasting and giving. I encourage each one of you to think about how you would like to intentionally live the 2012 Lenten season such that your life becomes more deeply united with Christ’s in his death and resurrection.
On Ash Wednesday, a prayer is spoken over the ashes: “Lord, bless these ashes by which we show that we are dust. Pardon our sins and keep us faithful to the discipline of Lent, for you do not want sinners to die but to live with the risen Christ.” That last phrase of the prayer, “for you do not want sinners to die but to live with the risen Christ,” is of utmost importance. Whatever we do, whatever we face during this season—or during our lives—we do so in the faith and hope that God’s desire is forgiveness and life, not vengeance and death.
This year, a primary focus at RLC during Lent is going to be on confession and forgiveness—not as an obligation, but a gift. In the Large Catechism, Martin Luther had this to say:
Confession consists of two parts. The first is my work and act, when I lament my sin and desire comfort and restoration for my soul. The second is a work which God does, when he absolves me of my sins through a word placed in the mouth of a person…..We should set little value on our work but exalt and magnify God’s Word……You dare not come and say how good or how wicked you are…..But what you must do is to lament your need and allow yourself to be helped so that you may attain a happy heart and conscience.
With this focus, I invite you to “hear” the words of the Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness at the beginning of each Sunday morning worship service. I also invite any who would like, to come on any Tuesday night during Lent for Individual Confession and Forgiveness. I will be at church between 6:00-8:00p.m. each week, available for conversation and for this sacramental act. The sanctuary will also be open for any who would like to stop by for personal prayer.
In addition, on Wednesday nights, we will be having Evening Prayer from 7:00-7:30p.m. followed by a Bible study entitled, “Forgiven and Forgiving.” All are welcome; you may come for one or all five sessions. The study will begin on February 29.
I pray that this Lent will indeed be a “holy springtime” for our souls.
Peace,
Pastor Mary
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