Released by Rev. Pete Hyde ….
The signs of spring have begun to appear. (Here in Florida anyway). The days are getting warmer and this year wetter. The spring breakers will soon clog the highways and the grocery store aisles oblivious to anything going on around them. The snowbirds have begun their flights back north for the summer. Mardi Gras celebrations are in full swing. All this signals a change of season.
There is another marker in the change of season that comes to us this week. Ash Wednesday is this week and signals the beginning of the season of Lent. If you do not come from a traditional, liturgical church background, Ash Wednesday and Lent may be foreign words to you. You might know them as something our Catholic brothers and sisters do but may be unfamiliar with the ins and outs of this special season.
The season of Lent is the forty days before Easter, not counting Sundays and always begins on a Wednesday – thus Ash Wednesday. These coming days are spent in confession, repentance, prayer, fasting and giving to the poor. You have probably heard about giving something up for Lent. This is the fasting part. We are to “fast” from something as a spiritual discipline. But it goes further than this. The time we would have spent doing whatever we gave up is to be spent in prayer and study of God’s Word. Any resources spent on the items given up are to be given to the poor or those who serve the poor. So, you see, Lent is not just a time to give up chocolate for the sake of losing some weight. Lent is a season of spiritual discipline. It is a season of growing in our spiritual lives and an intentional time of growing in our relationship with God.
The tradition of Mardis Gras has its roots in the celebration of Lent. It is the last big party, the last big blow out before this season of repentance and religious observance begins on Ash Wednesday. The Ash Wednesday Service is quiet service of reflection, confession and prayer. Ashes from the burned palms used on the last Palm Sunday are placed on the forehead in the sign of the cross as sign of this confession and repentance. The Lord’s Supper is sometimes shared as a reminder of the sacrifice made for the forgiveness of the sins we have committed.
So, I invite you to observe the season of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday – a season of introspection, confession, repentance, prayer, service and giving to the poor. I pray the journey will bring you closer to God.
Have a good season of Lent.
Rev. J. Pete Hyde, Senior Pastor
Santa Rosa Beach Community Church
850-267-2599; srbcc.com