Lenten Blessings

As we continue to journey through these uncharted waters, and continue to find new ways to live our faith, I want to let you know that we miss you and hope that the day we can meet in person for worship is closer than you realize. The Governor has moved Illinois to phase 4, which allows for more controlled gatherings and is one step closer to our goal of phase 5. We still need to be cautious, but we are not to be fearful. Fear cripples us and keeps us from living the life that God has planned for us. We need to pray and trust God. He is active and present. These have been scary times for all of us and we have all had our lives changed, and it is change that scares us. We are creatures of habit and when everything is comfortable, it is easy to go through life on auto pilot. God does not want us on auto pilot because we will miss all that he is doing in our lives and the lives around us. Jesus was always active and looking for the least, lost and forgotten. He wanted them to know that they are just as important in God’s eyes. We have been called to the very same task: to go out and live our
faith always looking for the least, lost and forgotten.

Now is the time to live into the call that we received at our baptism-to become the disciples that Jesus wants us to be; to have a loving relationship with the creator of the universe, and to live this relationship in such a way that it invites others to want to have the same kind of relationship. We really are the luckiest people on earth. Living in a loving relationship that has life giving rewards each day so that we can grow in our love for God and one another each day.

As we enter our Lenten season, it is a time to take this relationship seriously. We need to focus on ways that we can strengthen it through more prayer time, reading God’s word each day, & giving up some comfort in our lives so that we can focus on God’s presence more in our lives. Connect more with the people that God has put into our lives. Whatever the practice is that we do for Lent, it is to bring us closer to our Almighty, ever loving, and terrific God. Lent is a wonderful season to grow in our Christianity. May this Lenten season bring you all the blessings that God has in store for you.

O Lord Jesus Christ, by your almighty power, you opened the eyes of the blind, and allowed them to see You. As we enter into this Lenten season, we need you to open our eyes so we can see you in and around us. Give us hearts that love like you love and peace that surpasses understanding. Give us an experience of you this Lenten Season. Amen!

May this Lenten Season be the best Lenten Season ever!

May God bless you.
Rev. Stephen W. Barch