Forty Days to change the world – starting with ourselves
After one of the longest periods that can exist between Candlemas and
the beginning of Lent, this coming week sees Ash Wednesday mark the
beginning of our spiritual preparation for Holy Week and Easter. A
traditional time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving – Lent began as a period
of preparation for those who were to be welcomed into the Christian
family of the Church during the course of the Easter celebrations and
recalls the time that Jesus spent in prayer and reflection prior to his public
ministry.
Many people mark Lent in different ways – from giving things up (in my
experience, often the same things that they gave up at New Year!), to
taking up new habits and making a commitment to give to good causes.
For some, the subtle changes in our worship – leaving out some of the
celebratory songs of praise and encountering some of the most beautiful
pieces of music written, help provide the space to reflect on both the truth
of our calling to follow Christ, and the real cost that this can require as we
follow Christ – who was tempted, died, and rose again…
