Why Lent?

Thou blessed Spirit, Author of all grace and comfort,
Come, work repenetance in my soul;
Represent sin to me in its odious colors
that I may hate it,
...Show me my ruined self
and the help there is in Thee;...
May I confide in His power and love,
commit my soul to Him without reserve
bear His image,
observe His laws,
pursue His service,
and be through time and eternity
a monument to the efficacy of His grace
a trophy of His victory

~Valley of Vision

For the first time in many years, I attended an Ash Wednesday service at St. Peter's, our local Episcopal (yes, Episcopal! see note at bottom of this post) church. The whole point of Lent (this is for my dear non-liturgical friends) is a season of repentance and reflection in preparation for a glorious celebration of Easter. Even after ten years of being in a decidedly non-liturgical church, every year I am reminded that there is no Easter without a Good Friday. The forty days of Lent have always been a precious preparation time which makes Easter so much more meaningful for me.

The associate rector gave the sermon, and he was really marvelous. One of his comments really struck me. He said the Hassidic Jews had a tradition that each man must have two pockets in his coat. In one pocket he should have a slip of paper that says "I am but dust, and to dust I shall return". In the other pocket, a slip that says, "God created the whole universe for me". It is vital that we understand these two truths about who we are, so that we can begin to fathom a holy and righteous, yet merciful and loving Father, and respond to Him in love. So we can comprehend our "ruined selves" and still be a "trophy of grace".

*Yes, dear friends, Episcopal churches can be orthodox and Christian. St. Peter's is a church to watch, and pray for. From what I saw there, I believe you will see this church standing firm and continuing in the faith through the current storm which God is using to purge the apostate Episcopal Church... Praise God, and pray for all the courageous congregations who will stand firm!!