In the World, but Not Of the World

Yesterday marked the beginning of Lent, with a ritual that makes us all equals, that reminds us who we are and from where we came.  It also reminds us where we are headed and what our journey is about as we walk through our lives each day.  Today’s readings for the Thursday after Ash Wednesday, also point us on our journey this Lenten season.  What we heard today is sometimes known as the High Priestly Prayer and I can understand that – this is Jesus, praying to God the Father, asking and hoping and glorifying and calling upon God on our behalf.  Yet for me, calling it the High Priestly Prayer somehow separates it from us and this prayer is intended to do just the opposite. 

Jesus prays, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)  This is eternal life.  That we might truly know God.  This is at the core of Lent because Lent is about stripping away those things which separate us from God so we can know God, know Jesus, feel the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Lent is about a change of heart, a change in our perspective, a change in our daily focus, so we might get in tune with God and understand who we are and who we are called to be in this world. 

Our saints are great examples of doing that.  Today, we celebrate Polycarp, who knew the apostles and spread word of Jesus.  He died living into his faith because he stood up to the government and would not renounce Christ. Look through all of the saints and you will find every kind of person, doing amazing, simple, creative, bold, life-changing things in order to more fully live into who God was calling them to be in this world.  My friend, Scott Gunn, and a few of his friends have gotten together to create “Lent Madness” as a way of getting people to better know the saints and have them meet one another in a “holy match up” March Madness style.  This is not only a fun way to approach learning about saints in Lent, it is also a way to engage with those who have gone before us and who we might learn from.  Each of these saints (and many more that did not make the brackets) have lived lives just like we are and have made a difference by living into God’s calling in an amazing way.  Feeding the poor, standing up to authority, telling the truth, preaching the Gospel, etc. Each of them were living in the world but did not get consumed by the world. That is our task this Lent.  To take a step back and be in the world but not of the world, to fully engage who God is calling us to be in whatever way that looks for you this season, and to come to know God in a new way.