In a previous article, we talked about preparation for worship. In order to truly prepare for worship, we must first anticipate worship. The Lenten Season culminating in the Easter Celebration is a wonderful time to reflect on and experience Anticipation for Worship.
Do you know why the forty days are called Lent? They are called Lent because that is the Old English word for Spring, the season of the year during which they occur. This is something unique to English. In almost all other languages its name is a derivative of the Latin term, or "the forty days."
Anticipation does not always turn out as we expect but the Lenten and Easter season are times in our celebration of our Christian faith that we can absolutely count on a renewal.
Easter occurs in the Spring. Spring is a time for new life – when the weather begins to warm with the promise of better days ahead – and the first crocus buds begin to make their appearance. As we anticipate the arrival of Spring, so we anticipate our rebirth and renewal through Jesus Christ.
But the entire Lenten season is an opportunity, too, for quiet and prayerful reflection on the true gravity of the crucifixion and Jesus’ redemptive sacrifice. Throughout the world, Christian churches are quiet in anticipation of Easter’s triumph over darkness and evil, sin and death.
As a child I looked forward to Easter morning with an Easter Basket filled with marshmallow chickens, jelly beans and my favorite – Mary Sue butter cream Easter eggs. Later our family looked forward to rising before dawn, driving to a local cemetery with other congregants and celebrating Christ’s resurrection with a brass ensemble and a simple service of celebration of Christ’s rising.
This year we can look forward in Our Journey to Hope through a series of messages throughout the Lenten period.
Sunday, March 14 –
Fourth Sunday in Lent
A Journey to Hope: Temptation
Mark 14:32-40
(The Message Translation)
Sunday, March 21 –
Fifth Sunday in Lent
A Journey to Hope: Money
Isaiah 5:8-10
Luke 12:13-21
(The Message Translation)
In addition, you can go to Facebook and friend Jana and Tom and read their reflections on the thoughts for the week. For example, Tom’s thought questions as we each prepare for worship the week of March 14 were:
Who do people say you are? How are they right? How are they wrong?
