Musings and Contemplations

Almighty God, you so loved the world that you gave your only Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life: Pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love by your Holy Spirit, that we may delight in the inheritance that is ours as your sons and daughters, and live to your praise and glory, through Jesus Christ. Amen.[1]

Be Reconciled to God

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 NRSV
For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore, all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.
From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What is Lent?[2]
In the early church, Lent was a time of preparation through fasting for new believers who were baptized at Easter. Toda, it has become a shared season on the Christian calendar of repentance and discipline in preparation for Easter. Christians focus their hearts on Jesus’ sacrifice and await the celebration of his resurrection.
The season is a liturgical tradition rather than a biblical mandate. Lent itself isn’t commanded in Scripture, but its practices – fasting, prayer, repentance – are rooted in the Bible. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday). While the date changes each year, Ash Wednesday always falls 40 days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday. On the “Day of Ashes,” some Christians wear ashes in the shape of a cross on their forehead to symbolize human mortality and / or mourning.
In Scripture, the number 40 reflects key biblical moments of preparation and testing – including Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness (Matthew 4), Israel’s 40 years in the desert (Joshua 5), and Moses’ 40 days on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34). Sundays aren’t counted in the 40 days because they are always considered celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection, so the are not treated as days of fasting or repentance.

“To Be a Christian” Anglican Catechism[3]
Question #358
Since you cannot perfectly keep God’s Law, what has Jesus done on your behalf?
As the perfect human and unblemished Lamb of God, Jesus lived a wholly obedient and sinless life. He suffered death for my redemption upon the Cross, offering himself once for all as a “full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world.”  

Question #359
What do you receive through Christ’s sacrifice?
I receive the unmerited gift of God’s grace. If I confess my sins, God grants me forgiveness and pardon through Christ’s blood shed for me.  

Question #360
How does God enable you to live in his forgiveness?
Through faith, repentance, and baptism, I am made a member of Christ, a child of God, and an heir of the kingdom of heaven. Washed of sin and united to Christ, I am “justified,” being declared righteous by God, and I am given the grace to live continually in repentance and faith.

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the Cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.[4]

O Zion, Haste!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

[1] “To Be A Christian” Anglican Catechism, p. 117.
[2] https://thepourover.org/what-is-lent/
[3] TO BE A CHRISTIAN: An Anglican Catechism, 2020, The Anglican Church in North America.
[4] “To Be A Christian” Anglican Catechism, p. 121.