Journeying Through Lent With Courage

The Rev. Katy Campbell

Readings for the Friday following Ash Wednesday: February 16, 2024

As we enter into the solemnity of Lent, the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 25 echo the chambers of our souls: "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you, I trust, O my God" (Psalm 25:1). In these words, we find both a plea for mercy and a declaration of faith—a recognition that true repentance takes courage, for it requires us to lay bare the many ways in which we fall short before the One who sees all and knows all.

 When we repent, we are called to lift our souls to God, trusting in God’s boundless love and forgiveness. Yet, this act of trust demands courage—the courage to confront our shortcomings, the courage to acknowledge our sins, and the courage to turn away from that which separates us from God's presence.

 True repentance also requires humility—the humility to acknowledge our need for God's mercy and the humility to seek reconciliation with those whom we have wronged. "Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord" (Psalm 25:6-7). In these words, we find a plea for forgiveness, rooted in an understanding of God's unfailing love and goodness.

 As we journey through Lent, may we find the courage to embrace true repentance—to lift our souls to God, to trust in their abundant mercy, and to follow The Spirit’s ways. May you be guided by God’s truth and sustained by God’s love, knowing that in Christ, there is only goodness. And may that goodness lead you to discover the courage to confront the ways in which we have turned away from Christ and to allow the grace you receive to make you whole. And may your Lenten journey lead you ever closer to the joy found in a life lived in Christ. Amen.