For forty days we test ourselves. For forty days, beginning Ash Wednesday, we use Lent to test ourselves. We ask, “Out of all the good things we enjoy every day, which is the most important to us?
What would we be willing to have less of so we could have
more of something better?“
One billion Christians across the world let something lesser go in order to take up something richer for the forty days of Lent. Some let go of meat, or alcohol or chocolate. Some take up praying, or spiritual reading, penance, fasting or giving money to the poor. It is a test of character, this letting go and starting new. And, it as a way of walking with Jesus who was tested by the devil for forty days at the beginning of his ministry – a test of when and to what Jesus would say “yes” and when and to what he would say “no.”
Jason Micheli, Hedy Collver and I spent last summer planning our worship for the year. The sermon series proposed for this Lent was inspired by Thomas Lynch’s book, The Good Funeral. Lynch is an undertaker and terrific writer. He will be our guest the weekend of March 7 & 8. But Jason’s diagnosis of Mantel Cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has shifted our plans for the sermon series. And our attention. And our fears. So, we’ve agreed that the previous series Jason entitled, “A Good Life, A Good Death” is a bad idea. Beginning this week Hedy and I worked to create a new series.
Our first thought was about Jason and his overcoming Mantel Cell lymphoma. Jason and his family have normal and hellish days ahead. Some of us will witness their hell first hand or hear about it. It will be on most of our minds every week. We want to know what we can do to help. We want to know. “What do we pray for and how? And how does his illness stir up our own experiences of mortality and grief and rage?”
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The second thing we thought was that the stories of Jesus and his journey toward the cross and resurrection could allow us to use our empathy toward Jason to become an entry point for our sharing empathy with Christ. The church believes that Christ shares in the human condition and knows about our suffering. Even more poignantly, the church believes that our suffering is a sharing in the suffering of Christ.
Thinking of Jason’s diagnosis and praying for his getting well we propose that this Lent the sermon series be, “Walking in the Dust, a journey to healing.” We will pay attention to the healing stories in the Gospel of Luke each weekend. To make it a part of our daily lives during Lent, we suggest a Lenten test. We each choose one habit that destroys health and relationships and let it go for forty days. And, we can begin a new habit that makes us and our community stronger. For forty days. That’s the test.
What one activity or thought or feeling or way of carrying yourself
will you set aside? And what new one will you add?
For forty days.
We’ve asked Jason to write a note to the congregation each week to be read as part of the services during Lent. I don’t know how often his chemo therapy will allow him to fulfill our request. But I think we want to hear from. Usually. I don’t need to remind any of you that Jason is no Jesus or Gospel writer. Yet the Spirit in us all can use Jason and cancer and community to awaken us to our fundamental connection to Christ. And to the grace by which we become one in Christ.
Our prayers and thoughts, our hopes and dreams are with Jason and Ali, Alexander and Gabriel. And with all in our congregation and community who share in suffering.
May these forty days be filled with God’s healing grace.
Dennis Perry
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