February Lenten Newsletter message on prayer

We prepare to enter the season of the “paschal mystery.” This strange term comes from the word pascha (suffer) in the ancient Greek, Latin, and Syriac, and it came to English during the medieval period. The most common image from Hebrew tradition is the paschal lamb that was sacrificed at “Passover” in memory of the deliverance from death of the Hebrews in Egypt. Christ becomes our “Passover,” sacrificed for us. This becomes our feast in the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, the Eucharist. At the center of our Christian lives is this “paschal mystery,” the story of God’s history with humankind, brought to focus in the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is, therefore, essential to our common faith and life to enact and to show forth the full and dynamic meaning of dying and rising with Christ. This is what the Lent, Easter, and Pentecost seasons will help us do.

Unfortunately many United Methodists and other Protestant Christians think of Lent purely as a “Catholic” (Roman Catholic) practice and tradition. Historically, Lent developed as a season of preparing and training persons for initiation into the church at Easter. It became the forty days of preparation of the whole church for the great Paschal celebrations, growing out of the intense period of discipline and instructions of the converts, known as the “catechumenate.” Lent was also the time when those who had drifted from the church could be reconciled and restored to fellowship through prayer and penance.

The reality of prayer, alongside vibrant worship and prophetic outreach, has served as the central discipline of the Lenten Season. We would do well to explore fasting, meditation, hospitality, simplifying our lifestyles, daily Bible reading, and generous living during this season as well.

Prayer is, however, a foundational part of Christian discipline and stewardship. It is our way of receiving godly instruction, support, guidance, and nurture. We can, of course, focus our prayers in different ways. Some use the acronym ACTS as an outline for their prayers.

A – Adoration. Adoration is the expression of our reverence, love and esteem for God.

C – Confession. Confession is like breathing out used air. It gets rid of the garbage and makes ready for God’s forgiving strength and the fresh new breath of life in Christ.

T – Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is counting your blessings and realizing that even those things that do not seem like blessings have their place in the full scheme of God’s plan and work.

S – Supplication. Supplication (or intercession) is truly calling upon God’s power, grace and love for specific needs, concerns, joys, or opportunities.

For this “paschal season” you are invited to experience the great drama of God’s interaction with you and with all creation. In particular, you are invited to develop even further you practices of prayer. Here are some further suggestions about prayer:

-prayer may be the simple repetition of a word or phrase that helps you focus on

the nature and purpose of God and your relationship with God.

-prayer may be conversational, poetic, or an inspirational reading.

-specific prayers might be for persons with particular needs: illness, bereavement,

loss of a job, financial hardship, a crisis in a relationship, etc.

-pray for your church. Ask God to give members generous hearts for the spiritual

alertness and expression. Ask God to bless your churches leadership. Ask God to

lead persons who need a place of peace and blessing to your church. Ask God to

make generosity a dynamic edge of Christian discipleship at your church with

time, talent, and financial resources.

-pray for your country, its leaders, and those who serve in capacities that extend

the benefits of building up the global community (including the military, Peace

Corps, other civil, political, and religious extensions)

-pray for forgivenss. It is very healthy to take seriously your own “growth” edges

and alertness to where you fall short and would be renewed by God’s

forgiveness.

-pray in humble thanksgiving. Name the taken-for-granted things in your life as

well as any special blessings (the gift of life, friends, a home, food, health,

pleasant conversations, landscapes of beauty, etc.)

-use the book of Psalms as a regular guide for prayer because it includes

expressions that range from fury and frustration to ecstatic joy and celebration.

Welcome to the “paschal season” and I pray that God enriches all our lives in a deep, abiding and refreshing fashion this Lent, Easter, and Pentecost!

With deep appreciation,

Pastor David Newhouse