Lent is a season of the church year that begins on Ash Wednesday and culminates on Good Friday where we remember the crucifixion of our savior, Jesus Christ. Lent is an important time in the church year, because it’s a time set apart for us to acknowledge our sinfulness and all that draws us from God while at the same time, giving thanks for the immense love, mercy, and faithfulness of God displayed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As we celebrate the season of Lent this year at St. Philip, we will be embracing the theme of wilderness. Lent begins in the wilderness. The Spirit guides Jesus into the wilderness where he comes face to face with temptation and struggle. Yet, in his forty days of fasting, resisting, and wandering, Jesus is shaped and formed for ministry. Similarly, through the wilderness of Lent, we are invited to surrender to the wild leadings of the Spirit. We rarely enter the wilderness willingly, but hopefully through our wandering we remember who we are and whose we are.
There is no wilderness space too harsh or threatening for God’s love. This Lent, we welcome you to the journey. We pray that your Lenten journey through the wilderness will be holy, enriching, and draw you more deeply into relationship with God.