Lent

Ash Wednesday
The Rev. Eric LeBrocq
St. John’s, Sealy

  Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflecting and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful redirected themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism.

By observing 40 days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. All churches that have a continuous history extending before AD 1500 observe Lent.

The ancient church that wrote, collected, canonized and propagated the new Testament also observed Lent.

Originally, “Lent” was nothing more than the English name for the season between winter and summer, the season when the snow melts and the flowers bloom. German and Dutch have the same word, but with slightly different spelling.

 In German, “Lentz” means spring in poetry. In Dutch, the word “lente” never changed its meaning. It is still the name of the season between winter and summer, and it is still used in everyday life.

The church observance took place during the season of Lent. In England, “Lent” came to mean observance rather than the season, leaving the season without a name.

Instead of saying stupid things like “Lent happens during lent,” English-speaking people invented the word “spring.” Today, instead of calling the season winter, lent and summer, we call them winter, spring and summer.

The church reflects on Lent to recognize the time after Jesus’ baptism when he retreated into the wilderness for 40 days and nights, fasting and praying.

This was also the time that Jesus was tempted by the devil.

The modern church today follows the ancient tradition of reflection, prayer and fasting on Jesus’ life and death to strengthen our faith.

In ancient times ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance and morning. The Bible has several references to “pulling their hair, wearing sack cloth, and pouring ashes on their heads”, just as Job did.

Today, we commemorate our mourning by wearing black clothing or a black armband.

It is most appropriate on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, we begin a period of sober reflection, self-examination and spiritual redirection.

Traditionally, the ashes for the Ash Wednesday service comes from burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration. That is what we do here at St. John’s.

Many of us have a difficult time participating in the traditional “Rites of Lent”: Prayer, Fasting and Self-examination.

Each Lent we traditionally try to give up something we enjoy, such as chocolate, wine, sweets and TV as a type of “fasting”.

Some of us try to pray each day and read scripture, or the Offices or other services from our Prayer Book. But, we are not always successful.

The Gospel read this morning may give us a clue to the difficulties we have in praying and reflecting on Jesus’ life and death.

How often do we sit down, be quiet and talk with God on a regular basis? To pray and reflect requires a clear mind, and many of us in our fast-paced society just don’t handle silence and reflection very well.

Lent can be a wonderful time to reflect on, and begin talking with, God. To do this we must FAST from talking with others, turn off the TV, silence the cell phones and sit quietly.

Many of us just no longer know how to do these things. We need to intentionally enter our “prayer closet” and prepare ourselves to talk to God. And then be quiet to be able to listen to God.

We all need a time to reflect on what is happing around us, in our lives: Our joys and sorrows, our successes and failures and our worries and thanksgivings.

Take a time during the day; whenever is best for you.

Enter your “prayer closet” and sit quietly.

Clear your mind of the clutter of your day.

Breathe deeply.

Say a prayer telling God what is happening in your life: Your joys, your sorrows, your thanksgiving and your needs.

Don’t worry about the formality of the language, just talk to God.

Be quiet and listen. Perhaps nothing will happen, but be quiet and listen.

Read a psalm or Scripture, or some other favorite reading such as the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.

Don’t force more than you can handle, but do something in quietness each day; reflecting on the life and passion of Jesus, the Christ.

Just talk with God in everyday language. Lay your thoughts and needs at his feet just as you would an earthly father or mother.

Be intentional and learn to enjoy the quiet solemnity of being with God; one on one. It works – I promise.

During this Lenten Season let us be bold to join Jesus, fasting in the wilderness for 40 days.

Let’s be bold to pray with him in the garden on Maundy Thursday, let us fearlessly stand at the foot of His cross on Good Friday, so we may witness his Resurrection and His Ascension, and join in His triumphant reign.

And on that Last Day, when Jesus brushes away the groupies, let us be among His true friends whom He welcomes into his glory.