Dena's Article

Dena wrote an article that made the front page of a church newsletter! Regardless of personal beliefs, it's amazing to see how eloquently she can write. Someone was so moved by it that he contacted the church office to track her down as the anonymous author...

It Begins in the Ashes
Reflections on Lent

We all love the Easter season. Children wave palm branches on Palm Sunday. Adults look forward to hearing the Hallelujah Chorus. It’s a festive time with flowers, new Easter outfits, colored eggs and the anticipation of spring.

Many Christians worldwide participate in the start of the Easter season by observing Ash Wednesday, a day in which worshippers have ashes placed on their foreheads as a sign of humility before God. A symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that sin has brought into our world, the ash also places the worshipper in a position to realize the consequences of sin. Ash Wednesday is a solemn day of reflection on what needs to change in our lives if we are to live fully in Christ.

At best, we tend to casually observe the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, the Lenten season. We might give up something for Lent, such as meat, chocolate or alcohol. But at worst, we disregard the season entirely until the joyous celebration of Easter. What is the purpose of Lent, and why are so many of us hesitant to observe it with conviction?

Maybe it’s because we look at it as something the Roman Catholics do. Maybe it’s because we know deep down that Lent is more than just buying fish sandwiches at McDonald’s on Fridays or giving up lattes for a few weeks. We know there is greater potential for our relationship with God, but it must come with the acknowledgement
that our pride and sinful nature often get in the way. Lent is a time to place ourselves before God, humbled, bringing with us nothing that can be used to purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, strip away all pretenses to righteousness and come before Him in dust and ashes.

Ironically, Lent is one of the few times of the year when we can shift the focus off of others onto ourselves—sort of. Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God and again hear His call. We seek to place our needs,
our fears, our failures, our hopes and our very lives in God’s hands.

By abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to remember who God is, we allow His transforming grace to work in us, and in doing so, we come to worship on Easter Sunday with victory and a renewed hope that goes far beyond the new clothes, spring flowers and happy music.

How does Calvary celebrate Lent?

“Celebrate” is a seemingly strange word to describe how Calvary observes this time of year, but when we sincerely pour ourselves into soul-searching, introspection
and repentance, celebrate is exactly what we will do in the end. The daily observance
of Lent is truly a personal one, an opportunity for us to draw closer in our walk with God. The ways in which it can be practiced are as varied as the number of people at Calvary. However, the body of Christ at Calvary does observe this season in several ways.

Ash Wednesday is observed with a Love Feast, a gathering of believers who, in unity
and love, share rolls and tea or some other beverage, but it is not to be confused with Communion. A simple table grace is spoken, followed by consumption of the food and drink. The songs and hymns chosen for the Love Feast possess a theme of unity and are specific to the reason for the Love Feast. For Calvary, it’s Ash Wednesday, although it can be observed on various occasions. The service also includes prayer, scripture and the opportunity for those attending to talk briefly with one another about their spiritual journey. The event concludes with the placing of ashes on each person’s forehead. The prior year’s palm leaves are burned and the ashes are used for this service.

Calvary has offered small group studies during this time of year. Although
the topics vary, many of those offered have provided opportunity for self-examination
and focus in the participants’ faith walks.

Palm Sunday is celebrated with Calvary’s children filing into the Worship
Center waving palm leaves. Sunday school lessons and sermons are generally centered
on the events of this day.

The observance of Maundy Thursday is a long-standing Calvary tradition. This
is a somber service with reflective music, scripture, prayer and Communion—a time
to reflect on Christ’s death and sacrifice. The word “maundy” is derived from the
Latin “mandatum,” the first word of the phrase, “Mandatum novum do vobis ut
diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos” (“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye
love one another; as I have loved you” John 13:34). Jesus made this statement as He
explained to the Apostles the significance of washing their feet.

And finally, we celebrate on Easter Sunday! Beginning with a sunrise service,
the services that follow joyously celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
For forty days, we have the unique opportunity to strengthen our relationship
with God by remembering why Christ had to die for us in the first place. And it begins in the ashes.