An
Invitation to the Observance of a Holy Lent
Dear People of God: The first
Christians observed with great
devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and
it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them
devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and
it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them
by a season of penitence
and fasting.
This is season of Lent provided a time
in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism.
It was also a time when those who, because of
notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful
were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness,
notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful
were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness,
and restored to the fellowship of the Church.
Thereby, the whole congregation
was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set
forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all
Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and
meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.
was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set
forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all
Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and
meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning
of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now
kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.
(Book of Common Prayer, 264)
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