Lent 2022 The Church is now in the liturgical season of Lent. Lent is a time of penitence, fasting, and prayer, in preparation for the great feast of the Resurrection. In Lent, many things change. Clergy vestments change, the liturgy changes in part and many Christian attempt to make godly changes in their lives. According to the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke; Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness before the beginning of his public ministry. In this period of time, our Lord Jesus endured temptation by Satan and overcame him through faithfulness to Almighty God. During Lent we consider our Lord’s invitation to take up our cross, daily, deny ourselves and follow Christ. We do this by confessing our sins, receiving the assurance that we are forgiven through Christ. Confession and repentance are always an important part of our lives in Christ but during Lent they have a heightened focus. The late Dr. John Stott wrote, ‘The faith which receives Christ must be accompanied by the repentance that rejects sin.’ I invite you to pray the collect below and practice daily repentance as you seek to follow Christ. Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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