Great Lent's Reorientation

Dear Trinity Family,

Jesus' grace. 

Yesterday, I visited a few older members from Trinity and asked about the long-ago Lents in the Lutheran Church of their childhood. They recalled sitting in the balcony, hymnal open, and trying and figuring out how to sing parts in these different minor-key hymns. They recalled Scripture readings and preaching that was completely honest about our neediness, and clearly pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus, revealing the depth of God's mercy. Most Lutherans in America didn't renew the use of ashes as a sign of repentance until 50 years ago. The sign of ashes is profoundly Biblical. 

"The Bible contains a number of references to ashes and dust (cf. Josh. 7:6; 1 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 1:2, 15:32; Job 2:12, 16:15; Jer. 25:34; Lam. 2:10; Ezek. 27:30; Jonah 3:6). In fact, the Lord's curse on Adam, “dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Gen. 3:19) is echoed in the Imposition of Ashes formula. In the New Testament, Jesus declares: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matt. 11:21). Thus, in the Bible, ashes carry a two-fold meaning: as a sign of human mortality (Gen. 3:19) and as a sign of public repentance (Matt. 11:21)." Commission on Worship Reporter Insert, February 2005 & September 2005 Published by: LCMS Worship.

One of the simplest invitations to a season of repentance is from Joel 2.13, "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love." During Lent, we are not returning to an original innocence or a repristination of some earlier and better version of ourselves. We are returning to God. We need God. Maybe we are sick from consumerism. Maybe we are ashamed of our broken resolutions. Maybe we are sick from our addictions. Maybe we are hardened by our habits. We are guilty of sin. So, God's invitation to return, is pure grace. There is turning in returning. Returning to our gracious, slow-to-anger, abounding-in-steadfast-love God starts with a reorientation. the Bible calls this repentance. 

For the season of Lent, our sanctuary seating will be reoriented toward the baptismal font. We will begin there again on Ash Wednesday as we receive the sign of the cross with ashes on our forehead. It is important to note that our liturgy begins with the imposition of ashes. It is at that point of return. You have to keep on listening through the service, as you will hear the absolving word repeated. Not long after receiving the ashes you will hear "I forgive you." Matt will preach the gospel, and will undoubtedly get to the "I forgive you." In the Lord's Supper we always hear, "given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins."

So, time for the great reset. The great reorientation. The great repentance. Great Lent!