March Message: It's Time to Make that Lenten Journey
by Reverend Don Hodson

Many years ago when I was a youth there was a popular song entitled “Sentimental Journey.” It was recorded by a female vocalist, but I can’t recall the name. The song comes to mind because the Lenten season is upon us and it is time to make that journey that ends at Easter. Since I’ve made that trip so many times, there is certainly a sentimental aspect to it as I recall all the Lenten seasons of the past. As lead pastor, I always preached a Lenten series at mid-week worship service. Those services were never well attended in numbers and they were lots of extra work for me, but I wouldn’t take anything for the journey now.

Fred Craddock, one of the foremost homileticians these days, had this to say about Lent: “Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten journey to Jerusalem. The way is often desert, but the destination holds most meaning for those who make the trip. And since the way is often desert, it is best not to journey alone.”

There are many ways to observe Lent. Our Roman Catholic friends are known for giving up things during Lent. This can be meaningful it if is done in reverence. Surely the Christian discipline of fasting would fall into this category. Others like to take on more responsibilities like praying more often, joining a Bible study, or being more regular at worship.

For centuries the season of Lent has been used by Christians as a time of repentance and self-denial, recalling the passion, sacrifice, and death of our Lord Jesus. We recall how he “set his face like a flint” to travel to Jerusalem to die. We make this same journey to the cross and beyond to the Easter victory. This can be very meaningful journey for the devout Christian and though it may seem long, we will be there before we know it.

Beginning with Ash Wednesday when we remember our mortality and finiteness and embrace our limitations, be fellow sojourners with Pastor Linda and myself and let us make this blessed journey one more time to the cross of suffering and victory. And “since the way is often desert, it is best not to journey alone.”