March 2 is Ash Wednesday, the 1st day of the season on Lent. Lent is traditionally a time where we give up something in order to focus more on Jesus and the cross. Lent begins the journey towards Easter Sunday. On Easter Sunday we end the Lenten fast and celebrate the resurrection of our savior Jesus.
In years past I have given up music, certain kinds of food, coffee and alcohol. Now none of these are inherently wrong, but in giving them up I was replacing my consumption of them with a concentration on Jesus and the cross. Years ago, during Lent, I dreamed of putting together and walking through 40 day’s of prayer and Justice. To spend my Lenten season looking at and praying for the poor and oppressed of our world. Each day I wanted to focus on the needs of the world and pray for them and act on behalf of the poor in some way. This began my journey towards seeing the Steps Of Justice Prayer and Action guide come together.
This is how Christine Sine approaches the season of Lent. “The second freedom we should work towards during Lent is the freedom of liberation from slavery – not just for ourselves but for all humankind. For millions of workers, long Sunday hours for rest and worship may be impossible within the current system. People who know the Sabbath pattern of creation, liberation and resurrection nurture a dissatisfaction with this system and work for change. Part of the purpose of Lent is to become dissatisfied with our own bondage and the bondage of others. It is about looking for ways to bring freedom and liberation not just for ourselves but for all who live in the bondage of poverty, imprisonment, servitude or injustice.” For more on Lent by Christine check out her blog.
This year for Lent I would love to go through some justice practices with you. What would it look like to see 100’s of us praying and doing justice over a 40 day period? I believe we would see many lives changed, including our own. I believe that through prayer we can move the heart of God to act. I believe that our intercession for the world is effective and brings freedom, once again not only to the world, but also to us.
Lent starts tomorrow, let’s get after it. Thanks so much for caring for justice and we pray this years Lent will bring much change in our lives and the lives of others.
