Getting Ready for Lent – What Do We Hunger and Thirst For?

Lent is Coming

We are rapidly moving towards Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22nd. This is the season that most challenges us to reflect on our faith and renew our commitment to follow Jesus. Once again I want to invite you to participate with me in Lenten reflections that challenge us to take our following of Jesus more seriously.

Last year our theme was: Following Jesus What Difference Does it Make. The theme for this year is: Easter is Coming – What Do We Hunger and Thirst For? 

When reading  Ancient Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly Readings. a couple of years ago, I came across this quote by Caesarius of Arles (470 – 543) in a reflection on Exodus 17: 1-7. It profoundly impacted. Do we really thirst for justice or are we satisfied with water? Do we hunger for righteousness or are we satisfied with bread? If we do really hunger and thirst after justice ad righteousness, how is that lived out in our lives?

For what did the people thirst?  What then does the scripture mention in what follows? “In their thirst for water the people grumbled against Moses.”  Perhaps this word that he said may seem superfluous, that the people thirsted for water. For since he said “In their thirst” what need was there to add “for water”?  Thus indeed the ancient translation has it.  Why did he add this, except because they thirsted for water when they should have thirsted for justice?  ”Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice.” and again “thirsty is my soul for the living God.”  Many people are thirsty, both the just and sinners, the former thirst after justice, the latter after dissipation  The just are thirsty for God; sinners for gold.  For this reason the people thirsted after water when they should have thirsted after justice.

The guidelines for the guest posts are simple. Please write an article of 500 – 800 words. If you have a blog, post your article there mentioning that it is part of this blog series and send me the link.  If you do not have a blog but would like to contribute please email your article. I will post a new article each day with links to the appropriate blogs.  Each couple of weeks I will post  a complete list of posts that I have received with links to the appropriate blogs. I ask that you also post this on your own blog.

With your post please include a 2-3 sentence bio and any photos that you want included. Also note that the email to respond to this year if you want to be a part of this, is not my personal email. Seattle Pacific student Lyndsay Field is assisting me this year and will coordinate the blog series through the email msaintern@gmail.com. Alternatively leave a comment at the end of this post.