Lent

We all acknowledge the importance of seasons. In every season, fruit germinates, grows or ripens. On Wednesday just gone, Ash Wednesday, in the Christian calendar we began a new season – Lent. On Ash Wednesday, as a sign of sorrow for our sins and of our identity in Christ, Christians mark their forehead with a cross made from ash and commit to prepare for Easter.

Lent lasts for 40 days (excluding Sundays) and ends on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. The final week of Lent, from Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday, leads us to the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. This event is at the heart of the Christian faith.

The importance of Easter encouraged the early church to observe a time of special preparation. It’s thought that the tradition may have developed from the early church practice of baptismal candidates undergoing a 40-day period of prayer, fasting and study in preparation for their baptism on Easter Sunday. Over time, this evolved into a period of intentional spiritual preparation for the whole church.

The 40 day period of Lent is based on two episodes of spiritual formation in the Bible: the 40 years of wilderness wanderings by the Israelites after the exodus from Egypt and most significantly the temptation of Jesus after he spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness. Additionally, in the Bible, the number 40 holds special significance in the measurement of time and many important events.

During Lent, we’re invited to reflect upon our walk with Jesus, draw ever closer to Him and deepen in our life together in Him. This then helps us to celebrate His resurrection with fresh joy. This is why as a church we’re offering some ways and resources to aid our Lenten journey together – see www.sgsgashtead.org.uk/lent for a comprehensive list. I encourage us all to use this season, in these challenging days we continue to live through, to intentionally focus on growing and ripening the fruitfulness of Christ in our lives.