Lent

Lent reminds me that nothing and no one in this world can really satisfy the deepest longings of my heart, because everything I can see will one day be gone. 

“Remember from dust you came
and from dust you will return."

During the Ash Wednesday service, Christians receive ash their foreheads to remind them of their Baptism; a sign of death and new birth.  And when we stop to think about it, our birth and death have a lot in common. Both mark the beginning of something new. 

Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan. When he arrived at the river, he saw crowds of people listening to John the Baptist. 'Prepare the way for the Lord' he preached. 'Turn away from sin and turn back to God'.

John's firey words were so powerful that people must have felt that God himself would arrive any minute! The truth of his preaching stung their conscience so many cried out to be made clean... and down into the river they went.

                  Going in and under the water,

                                 was like a death,

                                 dieing to the old self-sufficient 'self'.

                  Rising up out of the water,

                                was like a birth,

                                living and breathing for God,

                                with everything from God

John was surprised when Jesus came up to him and asked to be baptised. 

               'What? You should be the one baptizing me!' said John. 

But Jesus convinced him that it was the right thing to do, and so John took him into the river like all the others.  (Matthew 3. 13 - 17)

But when Jesus went down under the water and rose up again, it says that the Holy Spirit came on him and a voice from heaven said: 'This is my beloved Son. In him, I am well pleased!'  No one could see the voice, but the words broke in, and everyone heard it.

What a glorious picture of delight between a parent and child. Jesus was swimming in the river of his Father's pleasure; fully immersed in acceptance and drenched with joy, he knew where he belonged.

The Baptism of Christ, St Augustine's Church, Brighton

Over the centuries, many have followed Jesus into the waters of Baptism.  In times past, candidates for Baptism were prepared over a 40 day period which included fasting and memorising a catechism, which is a series of short questions and answers about God. These catechisms summarized the Christian teachings of the New Testament and were a great tool in passing down the Christian Faith to each new generation. This time of preparation and review and renewal is the origin of what later came to be known as Lent.

Here is my favourite question from The Heidelberg Catechism. It reminds me that nothing that this world offers can really satisfy my deepest longings because, like you, I don't belong here. 

                 Question:        What is your only comfort in life and in death?

                 Answer:           That I am not my own, but belong -

                                                      body and soul,

                                                      in life and in death -

                                         to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.

During the season of Lent, we take time to remember that our journey with God begins in the waters of baptism. We belong in life and in death to our faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ. Whether you remember it or not, your baptism into Christ is the source of your eternal identity and where your immeasurable value is found, swimming in the unconditional acceptance of God's eternal love.