Tag Archives: Lent

“Covenant partners with God: what you do does matter!”

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1st Sunday of Lent (Genesis 9:8-17)  02/26/2012

On this first Sunday of Lent, as we have now made our way through the first few days of our Lenten journey, my hope is that you have already set aside some time and have jumped in to this season by taking advantage of some of the many offerings at St. John’s Church or have decided on a few of your own. If not, I hope you have had the opportunity to at least consider something that you might like to try out during the days and weeks ahead. As for me, I have taken up an invitation from Jeffrey Lee, Bishop of Chicago, to read a book and follow Bishop Lee’s discussion questions and reflections. The book is entitled, A Practical Christianity: Meditations for the season of Lent, by Jane Shaw. The Rev. Shaw is the Dean of Grace Cathedral, located in San Francisco, CA. Her book is about the practices of Lent rather than the beliefs (or the theology and doctrines of Christianity) that we feel we must subscribe to. In the introduction to her book, Shaw writes, “For the earliest converts to Christianity, the question before they were baptized and joined the Christian community was not so much “What do you believe?” as “How has your life been transformed?”[i] I will be reading the book as a Lenten guide, so I have only read the introduction so far, but Shaw provides a wonderful overview and clearly outlines her intentions for the book. She makes the following points: Christians should not get wrapped up in difficult theologies and doctrines as they travel through their Lenten journey; more importantly, and consistent with the practices of the Early Church, is the notion that what we do is as important, if not more formative, than what we believe. Consistent with the Anglican understanding of “lex orandi, lex credendi: out of the law of praying comes the law of belief” or perhaps more practically, what you do becomes what you believe, and eventually this will form the shape of your life, your life with God and your life with your neighbor. Shaw’s book presents itself as an interesting guide to the journey of practical self-reflection toward one’s personal life, one’s relationship with God and relationship with others. Her book provides guidance on a journey that explores the many aspects of one’s relationships and it is a journey that I am looking forward to taking up throughout these forty days of Lent. Continue reading →

“The Road to Calvary: Prepare to prepare”

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Lent is just a short week away and we need to get ready. Lent is the season of preparation for the coming of Easter; the coming of the day in which we celebrate our gift of eternal life – the death and resurrection of Christ and our reflection of what it means for us to participate in Christ’s death and resurrection. So you mean that Lent is a time of preparation and I have to prepare to prepare? Exactly. Lent is 40 days (not counting Sundays, at least in most Western Christian traditions) and 40 days is not a lot of time. At least not enough time in our crazy time-constrained culture to begin wondering how we might effectively “reflect” and “open ourselves” to the possibilities of Christ in our lives if we begin our wondering some time after the second Sunday of Lent. So, why not be the first one on the block to have your Lenten practices decided? You can tell your friends that this weekend is to Lent what “Black Friday” is to holiday shopping…and you don’t even have to sleep in a tent in front of Best Buy!

What can you do; what should you do? ANYTHING. Just do anything, preferably something that you have never done before unless “that previous thing” was incredibly helpful to your spiritual life. If you have some time available for vacation and a retreat center is nearby (and nearly everyone has some type of retreat center nearby), go on a Lenten retreat. Read a book, read the Bible, follow the Daily Office using the Episcopal Prayer Book (or go online here if it’s easier). If you are incredibly busy (and who isn’t incredibly busy, unless you have recently retired and you haven’t told anyone yet, so they can’t ask you to do several things in your “free” time), then simply find a few spare moments to pray for those you love, those who love you, and especially for those you don’t love, and pray for the world while you are at it…the world could use a prayer or two. Just do anything throughout the 40 days of Lent, and do it consistently. Lent, after all, is a time for thoughtful and disciplined attention toward God so we are prepared to receive His gift of saving Grace on Easter morning.

As for me, I will be reading Jane Shaw’s new book, A Practical Christianity: Meditations for the Season of Lent. You can purchase the book online at Cokesbury bookstore by following the link here. I have not read the book, but am following Bishop Jeff Lee’s (Episcopal Bishop of Chicago) invitation to read the book throughout the season of Lent. I look forward to walking with you as we travel the road to Calvary to Easter morning. I invite you today to prepare for the season of preparation; to get ready for Lent so that your Lenten journey may be fruitful and you may hear God calling you in the unique manner that God speaks to all His children.