Our Lenten Pilgrimage

Lent is here. We began with Ash Wednesday yesterday when we heard St. Paul, the Prophet Joel, and Jesus himself calling us to reconciliation, to inward and outward expressions of sorrow for our sin, and to simplicity. Simplicity that has as its end and reward God himself. 

We continue Sunday as Jesus makes his pilgrimage into the desert. Here he spends forty days fasting, praying, and being tempted by Satan. 

We all know the feeling of hunger. We all know the feeling of being in the wilderness. And perhaps we have experienced the forces of darkness pressing in upon us. Imagine all of these at once. After fasting. For forty days. 

Thus begins our season of Lent. I’m expectant this Lent like I’ve never been before. I hope you’ll be present to yourself, to God, and to others in this season. You may have already been experiencing a wilderness or great hunger. I pray God speaks to you powerfully and shows you that he’s been walking alongside you the whole time. For on the other side of Satan’s voice is Jesus’ voice, quoting Holy Scripture, reiterating the goodness of God, and demonstrating his own dependence on the Father.

With you on the journey -

Jay+

As we behold the face of God in the face of Christ, we are transformed into his image. This is what it means to be fully human—to become like Jesus, the truly human one, and to grow more and more in the freedom of the children of God.