Today we begin Lent, our journey toward Easter. At Easter, we renew our baptismal promises:
Do you renounce Satan?
All all his works?
And all his empty show?
Do you renounce sin?
Do you renounce the lure of evil?
Do you believe in God?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?
Do you believe in the forgiveness of sin?
At Lent, we take 40 days of prayer and reflection to prepare to stand with our community, and publicly proclaim our faith: in God our creator, Jesus our Redeemer, and the Spirit, who sanctifies us. And we profess that we believe our sins are forgiven.
If you haven't before, think about Lent as a sort of retreat. In fact, Lent finds its origins in the very early Church when those preparing for baptism spent 40 days in preparation. The community that surrounded them participated in this retreat.
For those of us baptized, we still are given the opportunity to take some time aside, and prepare for the great feast of the Resurrection, when we celebrate that death has no power over life; sin has no power over us. We are free; we are forgiven.
Blessings on a fruitful, and grace-filled Lent.
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