Lent – a Season of Preparation

Posted by stpauls on February 13, 2010 under Contributors, Webmaster Blog |

Lent is the season that prepares us for the annual celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church invites us “to observe a holy Lent, by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and by reading and meditating on the word of God.” (p. 282, BAS)

It is a sombre season, filled with inward and outward reflection and renewal. As Christians belonging to a liturgical tradition, our Sunday liturgy will incorporate elements reflecting the sombre and solemn mood during Lent, such as silence and simplicity. On the first Sunday of Lent (21 February), we will celebrate the Holy Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. according to the Book of Common Prayer. Starting on 28 February, our 11:00 a.m. service will take on a slightly different format: We will still gather as usual on Sunday mornings. But our opening hymn and our hymn of praise (the Gloria) will be replaced with a recitation of the deeply penitential Psalm 51. This will be followed by the singing of the Trisagion (cf. p. 186/7, BAS). Mindful of our sins and transgressions, we will next move to the confession and absolution, and thus give this part of the service more prominence (cf. p. 216f, BAS). “Alleluias” fall silent during Lent and the Gospel acclamation is replaced accordingly. The prayers of the people will be simple, almost simplistic, leaving space for our own reflections and for our own offerings of prayer and thanksgiving.

These might seem like radical alterations, yet, they are very much within the scope of our tradition, both as Christians and as Anglicans. All are welcome and all are invited to celebrate Lent as a way of deepening our relationship with our triune God and as a way of opening ourselves to surprisingly new encounters with the God who became one of us, died on a cross, and rose again. If you have any concerns, questions, or inputs please feel free to call the office.

Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the LORD, your God,
for God is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. (Joel 2:12f)