Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season. For the next 40 days of Lent, we reflect upon one of the most significant days of our faith… Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. With ashes made from the previous Palm Sunday, we mark a cross on our foreheads and have a repentant attitude, remembering that we came from dust and will return to dust.
This year, Pope Francis has chosen for his Lenten message a theme of “He became poor, so that by His poverty we might become rich”, which comes from 2 Corinthians 8:9.
So often we might give something up for Lent thinking it’ll also be good for us to do so (sweets, TV, games, etc.) but it’s very easy to forget that Christ died for totally unselfish reasons. It wasn’t just for your sins. It wasn’t just for my sins. It was for the sin of the world! (John 1:29) And though Lent was originally observed in the fourth century as a time of examination and denial of oneself, we may find ourselves treating it more like a countdown to Easter (“only x more days until I can eat/do _____ again!”).
In the coming weeks, we hope to reflect with you so that, whether or not you’re fasting something, we can prepare the way of the Lord together – not only giving things up, but also laying our lives down in surrender as we contemplate the price Jesus paid on the cross, that we might become rich in Him and have life to the fullest. Let’s set the tone for this season.
What are you giving up for Lent?
Reflection Song: Prepare The Way