Lent is a time of preparation for the greatest feast of the Christian year: Easter. It is a season of repentance, fasting, prayer, and charity. It is also a season of hope, as we look forward to the joy of the resurrection.
As we begin the season of Lent, we are invited to join Jesus on His journey to Jerusalem, where He will face His passion, death, and resurrection. We are called to follow Him with faith, love, and obedience, even when the road is hard and the cross is heavy.
Lent is a period of grief, but not a hopeless one. We grieve for our sins and the sins of the world, which have caused so much suffering and injustice. We grieve for the wounds and divisions that separate us from God and from one another. We grieve for the pain and loss that we experience in our lives.
But we do not grieve as those who have no hope. We grieve with the hope of Easter, the hope of the risen Christ, who has conquered sin and death, and who promises us new life and peace. We grieve with the hope of the Holy Spirit, who comforts us and guides us in our journey. We grieve with the hope of the Father, who loves us and welcomes us as His children.
Lent is a period of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. It is a journey from darkness to light, from death to life, from sorrow to joy. It is a journey that transforms us and renews us in the image of Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as we begin this season of Lent, we ask You to accompany us on our journey of faith. Help us to follow You with love and obedience, even when the road is hard and the cross is heavy. Help us to repent of our sins and to seek Your forgiveness and mercy. Help us to fast from what distracts us from You and to feast on Your word and Your presence. Help us to pray with sincerity and devotion, and to listen to Your voice in our hearts. Help us to share Your love and Your gifts with those in need, and to be peacemakers and reconcilers in our world.
Lord Jesus, as we mourn for our sins and the sins of the world, we thank You for the hope of Easter. We thank You for Your passion, death, and resurrection, which have conquered sin and death, and which have opened the way to eternal life. We thank You for Your Holy Spirit, who comforts us and guides us in our journey. We thank You for Your Father, who loves us and welcomes us as His children.
Lord Jesus, as we journey from darkness to light, from death to life, from sorrow to joy, we ask You to transform us and renew us in Your image. Help us to grow in holiness and grace, and to bear witness to Your love and Your power. Help us to celebrate Your resurrection with joy and gratitude, and to share Your good news with all people.
Lord Jesus, we praise You and we adore You, for You are the way, the truth, and the life. Amen.
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