Douglas Hickey

Friends,

Lent has been a struggle this year. 

But not actually. “Struggle” connotes effort. 

I’ve broken fast for birthdays, to receive hospitality (from family, from friends, from a coworker who set out a box of donuts in the break room), and then also just because it was a long day, so really, I deserved to irreverently consume Haagen-Dazs on a Tuesday night instead of praying the office. 

The whole idea of prayer seems impossible sometimes. 

Paul tells us in Corinthians that no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Maybe that’s also the point of Lent on some level: to strip away our illusions of self-sufficiency and teach us (again!) that holiness isn’t something we can achieve on our own. 

I need that to be true because my Lenten life and the life Christ commissions his followers to in today’s reading from Matthew are about as far apart as two things can get: 

And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. (Matt.10:7-11)

The gap seems irreconcilable.

Today’s other reading from Ephesians is a reminder of what Christ has done to reconcile the irreconcilable: 

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility…And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. (Eph. 2:12-14, 17-18)

Confession: This Lent, I feel far off and in need of peace. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Amen

—Douglas