The Season of Lent. A message from Revd. Rosemary

We are in the Church’s season of Lent, traditionally a time of penitence to prepare

ourselves for the glory of Easter. It began last week with Ash Wednesday, which

takes its name from the ashes which people used to pour over their heads, as they

literally tore their decent clothes and put on garments made of sackcloth, as a sign of

suffering with Christ and remembering his 40 days in the desert. Nowadays we have

a service in church, during which the priest makes the sign of the cross in ash on

the foreheads of those present, to remind them of the Lenten disciplines of fasting

and repentance.

The day before Ash Wednesday is, of course, Shrove Tuesday - pancake day! On

that day you went to church to be “shriven” - forgiven. Then the woman of each

household would use up any eggs, milk and butter they had in the house, in order to

fast better during lent - and pancakes came into being!

The whole season of Lent , however, is to allow ourselves to get closer to God, and

to allow ourselves to be changed by God. Many people give up luxuries such as

cholate or alcohol, as a token of fasting. Other will not eat meat on the Fridays, or

some other symbolic gesture. Better though, I think, is to do something positive each

day, such as say a little prayer, even if it is only “Thank you that I am alive”, or

reading a couple of verses from the Bible -- start with St. Luke’s gospel if you like -

it’s approachable and readable. But try to do something…

Never doubt the meaning of Lent. It happened a long time ago, but it happened.

Jesus walked on this earth, drawing to himself the despised and rejected of society.

He lived what he taught - a life of justice and love, of profound compassion for all

people. At this sombre time, we acknowledge the darkness and pain of the world -

and we pray for peace - that peace that truly passes all our understanding.

May you have a peaceful time this Lent.