Dear Friends,
Lent is almost upon us and, in preparation, this Sunday we will hear the powerful Gospel story of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the Mountain. Peter, James, and John glimpsed the glory of God shining from within Jesus, affirmed by the Father with the words “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” When Jesus came down from the mountain, he set his face resolutely towards Jerusalem and spoke of his impending death. Jesus experienced, quite literally, the highs and the lows of human experience. Even in the monotony of the pandemic and long periods of isolation, many of us have still experienced ups and downs. The church’s calendar builds that kind of pattern into the liturgical year; from the glory of this Sunday’s gospel, we move swiftly to the wilderness experience of Lent and the temptations of Jesus. For six weeks, we will journey together looking towards the cross, but knowing that the joy of Easter awaits.
All our theology is tempered by the reality of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For that reason, even though the character of the season is one of penitence (the purple vestments; the veiled crosses; never saying or singing alleluia) the Sundays are not of Lent but described as Sundays in Lent. For Christians, all Sundays are days to commemorate the Resurrection, just as all Fridays (except in Eastertide) are special days of devotion because of Good Friday.
On the first Sunday of Lent, we hear of the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness after spending forty days and forty nights fasting and praying. The number 40 is a significant number in the Hebrew Scriptures – the flood covered the earth for 40 days and 40 nights; both Moses and Elijah spent 40 days and nights in the desert; the Hebrew tribes wandered through the desert for 40 years; Ezekiel lay on his side for 40 days; the first three Kings of Israel before the kingdom divided each reigned for 40 years – so it is not surprising that this number is also significant in the New Testament. For those who like mathematical puzzles, you may wonder why we talk about 40 days of Lent when, if you count from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday there are, actually, 46 days. Well, that is where the Sundays in Lent come in; since they are not of Lent, the six Sundays are subtracted and voila! 40 days of Lent remain.
In the Northern hemisphere, Lent comes during the Spring. In fact, the word Lent derives from the Middle English, Dutch, and High German word for Spring. It is so easy to see Lent as a miserable time – a time characterized by self-loathing and harsh discipline. Quite the contrary, we should use the lengthening days, and the signs of new life as the earth awakens out of its winter sleep, to encourage us. One of the Eucharistic prefaces in the Church of England has these beautiful words:
And now we give you thanks
because each year you give us this joyful season
when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery
with mind and heart renewed.
You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you
and of willing service to our neighbor.
As we recall the saving acts that give new life in Christ,
you bring the image of your Son to perfection within our hearts.
So, let us begin our Lenten journey confident that all our discipline, self-denial, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving will make us more cheerful as Christians, and even more joyful when Easter arrives.
Affectionately,
Your Priest and Pastor,
Carl
