GOSPELGRAM

Why Lent?

 

Have you ever wondered why the Christian Church observes Lent? Why does Unity observe Lent? 

 

It all stems from attempting to make sense of Jesus’ “time away” for 40 days and 40 nights before starting the official beginning of his ministry. It was a before and after “time away” that reflected he was no longer the person he was before what we have come to realize was a special “time away”. 

 

Hearing that John The Baptist was baptizing people he went and was baptized. He received symbolically the blessing of God in the form of a dove and heard the words, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” He felt driven to go into the wilderness and spent 40 days and 40 nights praying and fasting.

 

Let us not forget it was during this experience that he was temped, by his own thinking in consciousness. He was famished after fasting; he was enticed by the offering of gaining power/fame and finally it was suggested he renounce God and worship the material world. He rejected the temptations with the use of scripture we now call the OT.

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Three years of ministry followed. One lesson we can take from this is the power inherent in “taking time” away and following the directions heard and felt in the silence. There are many instances written in the scriptures that continued to let the reader know that taking “time away” became a habit of Jesus. It had the power to be transformative.

 

In Unity we call Jesus our, Way-Shower. We know in hindsight the purpose of his “time apart”. Let us this Season of Lent 2022 practice our own “time apart” for 40 day and 40 nights. We might just have our own transformative experience.

 

Blessings

Rev. Carol

This GOSPELGRAM is brought to you from Unity In Harlem and will appear twice-a-month for the immediate future.  You are invited to respond to these thoughts by emailing carolhunt@unityinharlem