First Sunday in Lent

Lent is a season of fasting and repentance. One of the most commonly asked questions is “Why do we fast at Lent?”

We fast at Lent first and foremost because Jesus fasted. He went into the wilderness for 40 days to fast and be tested by Satan. Lent is 40 days of fasting because of Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness.

We also fast at Lent because God, throughout the Old Testament, called His children to a holy fast. One of the most poignant instances of this is found in the book Joel.

“Now, therefore,” says the LORD,

“Turn to Me with all your heart,

With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

So rend your heart, and not your garments;

Return to the LORD your God,

For He is gracious and merciful,

Slow to anger, and of great kindness;

And He relents from doing harm.

Who knows if He will turn and relent,

And leave a blessing behind Him—

Most importantly, we fast as a way to draw closer to God. We actively remove something from our daily lives and replace it with prayer. We make the conscious effort to say to God, “You are more important than anything in my life. Please show me the areas in my life that I need to improve so that I can draw closer to you.”

Ash Wednesday

“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent:  Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledge our wretchedness may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.  Amen.”  The Book of Common Prayer 

Thus begins the liturgical Ash Wednesday Service.  A service designed to remind us that we are sinners and are in need of repentance.  It reminds us that we are made from the dust of the ground and that one day we will return to that dust.  Ash Wednesday puts our lives in perspective with the universe.  But, it also gives us hope that God, who is all-powerful, will forgive us if we truly repent.

Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance and fasting.  It is a period of time for Christians to pause and take stock of their lives before the tragedy of Holy Week and the triumphant celebration of Easter.  Lent is 40 days, modeled after Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness in preparation of His earthly ministry.

Wednesday February 25, 2009 is the first day of Lent.  I would encourage you to find and attend an Ash Wednesday service.  Let the ash that is placed on your forehead serve as a reminder of the dust that we are made of.  Allow God to speak to you and direct your fast, so that it will challenge and change your life.

Struggling With Prayer

For Christmas I received as a present a hand held labyrinth.   I have been a fan of the labyrinth for years.  Walking the path almost takes one out of the real world and into a place of walking solely with God.

To the uninitiated a labyrinth may seem a bit strange.  Just walking around a maze that has no exit.  The experience is so much more than that.

According to Wikipedia “Labyrinths can be thought of as symbolic forms of pilgrimage; people can walk the path, ascending toward salvation or enlightenment. Many people could not afford to travel to holy sites and lands, so labyrinths and prayer substituted for such travel.  Many newly made labyrinths exist today, in churches and parks. Labyrinths are used by modern mystics to help achieve a contemplative state. Walking among the turnings, one loses track of direction and of the outside world, and thus quiets his mind.”

I use it as a way to calm my mind enter the presence of God without distraction.  Using the stylus and tracing the pattern I am able to block all the distractions from around me and focus on God.  It has become almost a daily ritual as I seek God.

It has become a journey to me.  I enter the labyrinth with God, and as we walk towards the center, we talk about general things, leaving the world behind.  When we reach the center, we stop as far away from the world as we can get and discuss the serious matters we need to discuss.  Once we finish we walk back out from the center and conclude our discussion as we reach the world once again.

I realize this may sound very mystical, but I am a very visual person.  It helps me in my prayer life to visualize God with me, walking and talking.

I do not know what works for you.  But I would encourage you, that if you are having a struggle in your prayer life, try the labyrinth.  It helped me refocus my prayer life, it may help you.