Patuxent Presbyterian Church

Message from the Pastor -- February 1999

Cross Bearers?

As we come into the month of February we come upon the church season known as Lent. Many of us may have a vague notion that Lent serves as a time to give up rich foods or playing the lottery or other such notions that trivialize the season.

Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Lenten meaning "spring" which derives from the Anglo-Saxon "long" indicating that the days of spring get longer. The word Lent therefore actually has no particular religious significance. Observed since the seventh century, it was often a period of instruction for church membership. For Christians, the season of Lent consists of the forty days preceding Easter. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, (February 17 this year) the forty day period does not include the six Sundays. The six Sundays are Sundays in Lent, not of Lent. It is seen as the first day of this period of penitence, self-examination and self denial. We observe this day with the Lord's Supper at 7 p.m. Some denominations also use ashes as a part of their services on this day.

Lent approaches its climax during Holy Week with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as the passion of Christ becomes more vivid for Christians. Thus, Lent proves to be more than remembrance. It also serves as a time to prepare for fuller participation in the mystery of Christ's passion and resurrection. The goal of Lent is to enable us to better experience the suffering and liberation, the rejection and victory of the cross.

During this Lenten season, you are invited to take up your cross and follow Jesus to the cross and empty tomb, tracing climatic events through the eyes of Luke. I will be sharing with you a series of messages in which Jesus bids us to take up our crosses and follow him to Jerusalem.

But I also invite you to be Cross Bearers! Available to each person will be a small wooden token entitled "The Cross in My Pocket." You are asked to consider carrying this token with you throughout the season of Lent. It will be a daily reminder of Christ's sacrifice and His love for you. I pray that you will consider taking up this challenge and being a Cross Bearer!

I pray that this season my be a significant spiritual time for each of you!

Mike