18th February 2026 –
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the essential belief of the Christian Church, therefore today we begin our preparations to celebrate Easter. Without Easter there would be no gift of grace and thus no salvation in Christ. Lent is a time to reflect on why we are Christian and what being Christian means.
To help us we are encouraged to use these few weeks as a time of penance – of making an effort to do things that perhaps we would not ordinarily do, such as giving more time to prayer – making an effort to be kindly in thought, work and deed, striving to be patient especially towards people we do not really get on with. Lent is designed to help us concentrate the mind – to loosen the chains that bind us to this world’s ways. In a moment ashes will be placed on our heads to remind us that of ourselves we have nothing to boast about – in a sense we are cut down to size, reminded of our imperfections – reminded of our weak and sinful natures.
The use of ashes at the start of Lent remind us of the story of creation which tells us that God took the dust of the earth and shaped it into an image of himself. That when that image was disfigured by sin – God sent His Son to repair the damage and enable us to come truly alive with the Holy Spirit. All the things of this world that we consider important will come to nothing – will become like these ashes – will become like dust blown in the wind. But we rejoice in the fact that if we allow our nature be transformed by the Holy Spirit – defeating our obsession with ourselves, then we will share in the Risen Life of Jesus, and so share in His divinity.
Lent should be regarded as a time to examine our lives to see if we are thinking – saying – and doing those things which indicate that we are really followers of Christ and strive to love as Jesus does – to offer our gifts and our time in the service of others. Remember you can take life seriously without being sour or miserable! People who connect penance with a glum face have a false idea of the life God wants us to live. Jesus says, “I came that you may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” Jesus never says, “I came to make you miserable.” Rather, the Way of Life Jesus offers brings the only real happiness. So as Easter is at the end of Lent, so may the Risen Life of Christ be at the end of our time on earth.
