March Newsletter

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.  BCP pg. 265

Lent provides us an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection on Easter.    We are called to repent of our sins and to amend our lives, asking God to give us the strength to avoid those things which serve to separate us from Him.

We do this through prayer, both as a part of the Body of Christ in our corporate worship and as part of our private prayers and devotions.  It is through prayer that we talk to God, and, through the contemplation of our words to Him and His Word to us, we listen for the small, still voice that moves our heart and shapes our will. 

We also deny ourselves some of things that have become ordinary features in our lives.  This fasting, in the form of denial of certain types of food or maybe an activity, re-focuses our

attention away from the things of this world and onto the things of the Kingdom of God.  This fasting is especially appropriate on Ash Wednesday, Fridays during Lent and on Good Friday.  It is also important to remember that Sundays during Lent are still considered feast days, so fasting is suspended on Sunday.

Finally, by reading and meditating on Holy Scripture and on other spiritual writings, we further educate and open ourselves to the working of God’s Will upon our own.  Set aside a portion of each day to read and contemplate and pray, and it won’t be long before a Lenten discipline becomes a life discipline.

Have a blessed Lent.

Fr. Michael+