The Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, I was asked recently about the origins of the word Lent. The word Lent comes from an Old English term that means “Spring Season.” It is appropriate that we celebrate Lent at this time of year. Our Lenten journey leads us to life just as the spring season brings new life.

Lent is a season of growth and renewal. A season of emergence and newness. I remember the first time I experienced spring in Princeton, New Jersey. After a very and long and dark East Coast winter, radiant cherry blossoms emerged like miracles. They carried tremendous hope after a season of barren trees and cold rains.

Throughout Lent we are called to reflect upon and remember Christ’s suffering and death. The cold. The darkness. The betrayal. Death. But in the midst of it all, little miracles emerge all around us. They are a reminder of hope. They beg us to recognize that we are never in darkness alone. Let this Lenten journey be one of blossoming growth. Take notice of the orange poppies in the church gardens that are beginning to blossom and bloom. We have just started this Lenten journey together at GPC but slowly, new life is blossoming all around us. Thankfully, we know how the story ends and that God has the final word. 

In Christ, Pastor Jim