When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.  

Luke 9:51. 

It is human to anticipate what we think lies ahead. This future focus can be shaped by uncertainty, fear, hope, or maybe more of the same! We all look ahead and wonder what might come next.

A friend commented that the season of Lent invites us to reflect on our baptismal vows, those promises we made in our commitment to following Christ.  Doing so can lead us to confession, repentance, and the seeking of forgiveness as we realise the gaps between what we promised and how we live. These are promises related to what lies ahead.

In my church tradition the baptismal vow was a public commitment made to Jesus as Son of God, Lord of Life and my personal Saviour.  The latter affirmation of who Jesus is to me is a reminder of the personal nature of my faith journey, while the other two place Jesus in a larger context. Together both dimensions are the heartbeat of the Christian journey, personal, theologically and cosmic.

Our Lenten anticipation, focussed on our Baptismal vows and in our travelling the journey to the cross with Jesus, can lead to deeper insight and growth. Lent is in this as a reminder that our trust in Jesus is a trust that keeps growing and a realisation that there is always more to learn. 

On 18 March the Orthodox churches begin Lent and as I write I am aware that in 2024 our calendars are not aligned. We send greetings for the beginning of Lent to our Orthodox churches and friends with a prayer for a blessed season of ‘bright sadness’.

Next year the calendars of the churches align, and we will celebrate Lent, Easter and Pentecost together.  

Rev John Gilmore 

NCCA President