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Brothers and sisters,

I must confess something to you. I’ve never been able to stick with a Lenten devotional. Truthfully, I’m not good at sticking with any kind of devotional. Advent? Nope. Lent? Nope. Contemporary theologian? Not happening. Classic of the genre? I’m sure it would be great—if I could stick with it!

The thing is, I like the idea of a devotional. For those that may wonder what a “devotional” is, it’s most commonly a book that has short readings for a set number of days. The idea is that you read one part per day over the course of however long the book is. They’re usually themed to help you contemplate something in particular. And, again, I’d love to be the kind of person that can do a devotional, but I’m forgetful enough that I’ll forget to read it one day, then decide I’ll just read two entries the next day, which defeats the whole purpose of the devotional format (one reading per day). Inevitably, I forget multiple days in a row and suddenly I’ve got a week’s worth of readings I need to catch up on and so instead I just say, “I’ll try again next year.”

That being said, there are two devotional books that I have kept over the years. I still have not read them cover-to-cover, but they are both collections of spiritual writings by be-loved authors. Sometimes, I do think to pick them up and read a passage. Often, their writing inspires me. The first is an Advent devotional entitled, Watch for the Light. The second is a Lenten devotional entitled, Bread and Wine. I wanted to share a poem with you all in Bread and Wine that comes from Oscar Wilde, a renowned playwright, called, “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” (pronounced “Redding Jail”):

…And thus we rust Life’s iron chain
Degraded and alone:
And some men curse, and some men weep,
And some men make no moan:
But God’s eternal Laws are kind
And break the heart of stone.

And every human heart that breaks,
In prison-cell or yard,
Is as that broken box that gave
Its treasure to the Lord,
And filled the unclean leper’s house
With the scent of costliest nard.

Ah! happy those whose hearts can break
And peace of pardon win!
How else may man make straight his plan
And cleanse his soul from Sin?
How else but through a broken heart
May Lord Christ enter in?

During Lent, if we will recognize our own sin, if we will allow our hearts to be broken by the good news of the gospel, we will find that sin has now power over us, that death does not have the final say, that life is worth the living just because Christ lives.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Brothers and sisters,

Within broader theological circles, there is an argument to be made over which holiday is more important to the Christian faith — Christmas or Easter. At Christmas, of course, we celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus and the miracle of the Incarnation. At Easter, of course, we celebrate the resurrection of the adult Jesus and the salvation Christ brings for all of us. And this debate can go round and round, with both sides making compelling arguments and neither one quite nullifying the other.

On the other hand, it feels like there’s very little debate over which season leading up to those holidays is more important — Advent or Lent. Advent ends up getting so much of the focus because, let’s be honest, it’s more fun to anticipate the birth of the baby Jesus as opposed to dreading the inevitability of the cross. Advent has Sundays dedicated to various themes — hope, peace, joy, and love. Lent’s Sundays are not themed; rather, they are just part of the journey toward Good Friday. And since our wider culture has adopted Christmas as a holiday for all, Advent feels much more mainstream.

That means Lent often gets disregarded, but it is a distinctly Christian season. The season of Lent runs from the night of Ash Wednesday through the Saturday before Easter (Holy Saturday). When you don’t count the Sundays involved, Lent lasts for forty days, mirroring the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. These forty days, for us, serve as a time of contemplation and reflection. They call us to reflect on our own sinful nature, our own propensity to give in to temptations, and our inability to “earn” the grace God offers to us. Because of those things, Lent has gained a reputation as being a sad, depressing season. And if all Lent focused on was our own sin, then I could see how that makes sense. But it doesn’t only focus on our sins.

Within the Eastern Orthodox church, Lent is known as “the bright Sadness” because even though it is a time of reflection, confession, and repentance, it is also a season that recognizes that sin’s power has already been broken. It is a season that recognizes that death does not have the last say. It is a season that sees the sacrifices of Jesus throughout his ministry and reminds us that those sacrifices were made for you and me. It is a season that prepares us for the miracle of Easter, when Christ rises up from the grave and proves, definitively, that grace is available for all. Easter is the day that gets all the celebration, but Lent is the season that prepares us for that celebration.

So, in the coming weeks, be sure to take time to reflect on all that God has done for you. Take an honest stock of the sins you’re regularly tempted to commit. But then recognize that you worship a God who loves you, even though you are a sinner. Recognize that you worship a God who walks alongside you and tells you that you are not defined by those sins. Recognize that you worship a God who came and dwelt among us, the Incarnate Word, who faced the same temptations we face, and who broke the power those temptations have over you and me. This season starts on Wednesday, February 18th at 6:30 in our sanctuary. Come and be reminded of God’s infinite goodness.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben

Brothers and sisters,

Today’s article may seem a little strange at first but bear with me. As I write this article, both WRAL and WTVD are calling for snow this weekend. They’re not officially estimating totals, but have said anywhere from 1-3” of snow is quite likely for the Triangle. The little widget on my computer is telling me 6-12”, but it was also convinced we’d get 11” of snow this past weekend, so I don’t trust it at all.

Regardless, I’ve been hearing stories all this week about people helping each other during this past weekend’s winter storm. I’ve heard stories about neighbors shoveling out driveways for other neighbors to make sure they could get out. I’ve heard stories about lawn maintenance guys going the extra mile to make sure their clients’ sidewalks and outdoor stairs were cleared. I’ve gotten to hear these simple stories of people doing right by each other in the midst of a difficult weekend.

It reminds me of the way we Christians are called to do simple things to help others. The call that Jesus places on all of us is to see other people as our neighbors and to under-stand that helping them is always the right thing to do. Sometimes that looks like shoveling driveways and clearing sidewalks. Sometimes it looks like calling someone to check on them and remind them they’re not alone. Sometimes it looks like telling them and others that our neighbors are children of God, fearfully and wonderfully made in the im-age of their Creator, and respecting the basic dignity that comes with that.

So, as we prepare for round two of winter weather here in Durham (I’ve been reminded of the old wives’ tale that says if snow doesn’t melt, it’s waiting for more!), go on and be thinking about ways you can reach out to your neighbors. Be thinking of things you can do to help them and stay faithful to the call of Jesus. And in scrolling through social media this past weekend, I was reminded there are some ways you can help your neighbors that you might not have thought of before.

First, there are several non-profits around Durham who, during periods of extreme cold, open their doors to folks living on the street. Durham Rescue Mission and Urban Ministries of Durham are both designated as “warming centers”. If you are in a place to donate to them, I’m sure they’d appreciate it as they’ll be taking on some extra costs this weekend.
Second, if you’re thinking of going out for a meal before the snow hits, I saw someone suggest that you go to a local restaurant. McDonald’s can survive if some of their stores are closed for a couple days. Mom-and-pop shops will struggle if they have to close or their foot traffic is down due to the snow. After the snow hits, if you want to, you can order something online (a meal, a coffee, etc.) and include a note on the order that says, “I’m not going to get this order. Give it to someone who needs it”—that way you help the business and someone in need.

And, of course, call and check in on folks who you know might be a little more vulnerable to this kind of event. Even if they’re doing just fine, they’ll appreciate the call! In doing these things, we can reach out to our neighbors and remind them that we love them and God loves them too. Stay safe and stay warm!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben