Seasons of Worship
“Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” – John 16:22, New King James Version
Lent isn’t really a Baptist thing. Traditionally, we Baptists have prided ourselves on being “non-liturgical.” The result is that many Baptist churches don’t observe the liturgical calendar of the church year. Happily, for me, my Episcopalian classmates introduced me to the beauty and the rhythms of the church year, and I have observed the different seasons of worship ever since. Even Lent… especially Lent, that season of penitence and preparation for Easter, the most glorious day of the Christian calendar. For, how can we truly celebrate the joy of Easter if we cut short the preparation and, yes, the sorrow of Lent?
Sorrow is a real thing in our lives. Pain… loss… suffering… these are all the backdrop for the joyful times of life. In truth, without the shadows of life, there would be no need for the light. Our joy is joyful because we know what it is to live in sorrow. Without sorrow, joy would have no meaning. And please note, I didn’t say “happiness.” Happiness is based on our external circumstances, while joy is internal… connected with our faith and the sure knowledge that God is with us in the joy and the sorrow.
So let us not rush through Lent. Let us not rush to the empty tomb, but rather, let us take time to prepare ourselves and to linger in the shadow of the cross with Jesus. It may be a sorrowful time, but it will be well worth it, for the sorrow of Lent will give way to Easter joy, and no one will be able to take that joy away from us.
Prayer: Lord of Shadow and Light, slow us down as we journey toward the glory of Easter, that we may be truly prepared for the miracle of the Resurrection and the never-ending joy that you will bestow upon us in everlasting life. Amen.
The
Rev. Jill Harvey
Niantic
Baptist Church
Niantic,
CT
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