“Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white….a cloud came and overshadowed them; and thy were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” ~ Luke 9:28-29, 34-35
Beloved of God,
February has arrived, bringing its own peculiar character. The “newness” of the New Year has run its course. Personal notions we may have had about making a new start have begun to prove themselves to be either possible or unlikely. Collective decisions about mission goals and budgets have been made and now we begin the step by step journey of living them out. And in the garden, crocus shoots offer a harbinger of spring. February represents a turning point in the seasons of our faith life together as we move this year from the season of Light to the season of Lent.
The season of Epiphany comes to a climax on Transfiguration Sunday, February 14th as Jesus and three companions go mountain climbing and their dazzling encounter on top nearly leaves the disciples speechless. God speaks and the disciples listen, but still don’t quite catch the drift. How do you explain mystery? Words fail.
After this high point, we move into Lent, the springtime of the soul. Entrance into Lent begins with the Ash Wednesday service (Feb 17), reminding us of our mortality, and how our destiny, our dying and rising, is linked to Christ in baptism. Forty days of reflection and meditation begin as we follow Jesus into the wilderness. There he again ascends to the mountaintop. Only this time it is Satan who accompanies him. He promises Jesus the world, but Jesus sees through the charade. How about you and I? Can we see through the empty promises with which Satan would lure and entice us into empty and dead-end thoughts, actions, and relationships?
In the ancient church, Lent was a time of intense preparation for those who were to be baptized into Christ at the Easter Vigil. This rhythm of preparation is being reclaimed in congregations that practice the Catechumenate, a way and a process for accompanying those who are drawn to Christ and to the waters of baptism—either to be baptized for the first time or to affirm their baptisms. A group of us who attended a Catechumenate training event recently at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church are exploring what such a process might look like at Peace. You’ll be hearing about an opportunity soon.
The season of Lent is a season for gaining clarity: clarity about our bond with Christ in baptism; clarity about our lifelong call as Christians to discover God’s will for our lives; clarity about the power which is God’s gift to us through the Holy Spirit; clarity about our mission as a community of faithful people who have been marked with the cross forever. As we follow Christ on his road through the wilderness and on to Jerusalem and all that awaits him there, we learn once again of the height and depth of his love for us and for all.
How will you enter this “springtime” of the soul? One of the traditions of Lent is to simplify, to pare down to the bare essentials. Fasting, prayer, acts of charity are traditional practices during this season. Some folks simplify their lives in Lent by choosing one thing to let go of or give up, such as an unhealthy habit. Others choose to add on to their routine a spiritual discipline or a giving of themselves in some other form. The options and opportunities for spiritual growth during this “springtime” are endless.
How about you? How will this season be marked within the rhythm of your life? Whatever our choices, we can be assured that God’s Spirit accompanies us, within and without, just as Christ promised; coaxing and guiding us toward a deeper dependence upon God and a more accepting relationship with our neighbors.
May God’s accompaniment bring joy, peace, and accompaniment to your Lenten journey.
Pastor Erik
What does this mean?