Our Lenten Journey

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly.”
~ Isaiah 58:6-8
 

Dear siblings in Christ,
              Lent, though often thought of as a somber time, is a time to reflect, repent, and renew our hearts and minds in the light of God’s grace and unconditional love. Lent invites us into a 40-day journey that mirrors the time Jesus spent in the wilderness before beginning his earthly ministry. As we journey through Lent, I invite you to join me in considering how the state of our world today invites us deeper into this journey of repentance and renewal. When the world around us seems to grow more uncertain and fractured each day while the news is full of stories of war, division, injustice, and a longing for peace and healing. The weight of the global and local crises, from poverty and hunger to climate change and people being displaced, can make our hearts heavy. Even in our own communities, we encounter the struggles of those who feel lost, unseen, and/or unheard. And yet, in the midst of this turmoil, we are called to remember that Lent is not only about mourning the brokenness of the world but also about responding to it with the love and hope of God that Christ has shown us. 
            Lent is a time that invites us not to give things up just for the sake of giving up things, but it is a time to give up what distracts us from the realities of the world, to humble ourselves before God, and to deepen our commitment to following the example of Christ to share and show God’s love near and far. It is a season of repentance, but it is also a season of hope, because through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are promised new life. Our response to the brokenness of the world must be rooted in this hope, hope that is grounded in Christ’s enduring love, and hope that calls us to action. I encourage each of us to take time to reflect on the ways in which we as individuals, and we as a congregation can be part of God’s transformative work in the world. How can we share and show God and Jesus’ love out in the world in the face of such divisions? How can we extend mercy and justice to those who are suffering the most? In what ways can our Lenten practices help to heal and renew not just our own souls but the world around us?
           As we journey through this season, I invite each of us to find moments to try some spiritual practices, whether it be daily prayer, acts of service, times of speaking up against injustice, or moments of quiet reflection, let this time be a moment where we each reconnect with God’s vision for the world. A vision where justice, mercy, and peace flow like a river. And as we do so, let us also remember the promise of Easter that awaits us: that the love of God is stronger than all the forces of darkness in this world. May this Lenten season be a time of deep renewal and transformation for each of us. May we approach it with open hearts, ready to receive God’s grace, and ready to be sent into the world to be instruments of God’s peace and love to all people and all of creation. As we journey through these 40 days, let us do so with the knowledge that God through the Holy Spirit is with us, guiding us, and empowering us to bring light into the darkness.
God’s Peace, 
Pastor Tamara Siburg