The Sacred Steps: Lent
Ash Wednesday: March 5, 2025
Among Christians that observe this forty-day journey with Jesus, many use this time to connect to the suffering of Jesus, specifically his Jerusalem experience, by giving-up (doing without) something of significance to their daily life. Other followers choose to add something to their living, as a way to understand how Jesus lived and perhaps serve those with whom Jesus associated during his journey. Many communities of faith offer special studies or host mid-week meals during Lent, to build community and, though perhaps not explicitly state, to create accountability loops for those who have chosen a discipline to follow during Lent. Lent could be a time of intentional hospitality or invitation for your community to participate in a study, conversation, or weekly meal as an introduction to the practice of Christianity. If followed, a spiritual discipline can provide a person (believer, practitioner, or skeptic) with a foundation for personal growth. Like Lent, a spiritual discipline is about the journey, not the destination. It is a time to challenge a “belief” in, or a “belief” about, Jesus as a savior, by personally practicing the way of Jesus, which can lead to the Truth about God and give meaning to life, even a life of faith. John Dominic Crossan’s book, The Power of Parable: How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction About Jesus, would be good for your individual study or for a small group to read together and discuss during Lent.
A favorite suggestion I offer to persons seeking a spiritual discipline during Lent, for the first time or as a seasoned follower, is to write your own gospel. Thomas Jefferson completed his The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth in 1820. This is a way to begin journaling, by spending thirty minutes each day writing your account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. Like the writer of John, take the synoptic Gospels and some of the non-canonical writings as source material for your gospel. Weigh those accounts with your experiences. What would your gospel account include? What would be the focus of your telling of the story of Jesus? What does your gospel say about the person of Jesus and the character of God? Would you be willing to share your gospel account with the youth group or your Sunday school class? Can you imagine someone reading your gospel as scripture?
One option for the children’s sermons during Lent would be for you to choose the parables of Jesus you think are important for the children to know, and then use one each week as the topic for your time on the sacred steps. What five parables would you choose? That question would be good to ask in an adult Sunday school class and to explore during Lent. You might ask several groups in your congregation to identify their top five parables and see what parables are popular. Your process of choosing and studying these five parables could be your spiritual discipline, as well as the core of the gospel account that you would write. How will you journey with Jesus to Jerusalem this Lenten season?
Personal Thoughts / Planning for Lent
Spend some time journaling about your thoughts or goals for this Lenten season.
For whom will you be praying?
Will you take on a discipline during Lent?
Whom do you hope or want to be praying for you?
Does he or she know you seek their intercessory prayers?