March 2, 2010
Dear Family and Friends,
Accidentally I overheard a brief chat between two youths before the Confirmation Class on Sunday. One was asking,
“What are you giving up in Lent?” “My mom has also asked me this question,” replied the other, “I think I will give up
vegetables this season.” While I was amused by the two, I thought I also captured a moment of truth there. The truth
is our children are observant. They watch us closely and listen to us more than we realize. “The father the son” as
we say, so much so, they copy our language, model their life on our pattern, and often reflect like a mirror who we are
as adults.
I commend you, parents and grandparents, that your endeavor to keep a good Lent has a direct positive bearing on
our young people. First time in our recent history, these youngsters eagerly serve as acolytes, greeters, and readers
in the worship service, the most important part of our communal life as a congregation. Thanks to your commitment
and support, a solid identity is being shaped for the younger generation in these active services. Their question,
around the discipline of this season, of course takes us all to a deeper level of “keeping Lent.”
In a famous sermon titled “The True Wilderness,” the Anglican theologian H.A. Williams suggested that faithful Lenten
observance “has nothing to do with giving up sugar in your tea, or trying to feel it’s wicked to be you.” So much of
what passes for Lenten discipline is mere “ecclesiastical charade.” The true Lent, this great preacher concluded, lies
in following Jesus into a wilderness place, going somewhere one has never gone before. In so doing, like Jesus we
may find renewal and inspiration, being filled by God’s Spirit (Luke 4). For old and young this is the pursuit of our
spirituality.
Make no mistake. We will faithfully carry on the Ash Wednesday Lutheran liturgy of repentance, fasting, prayer and
works of love. These forty days we keep asking God to “renew us in the gift of baptism that we may provide for those
who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self-indulgence … and find our treasure in the life of Jesus.” These
certainly are beneficial practices.
An even deeper measure of spiritual renewal and communal faithfulness may result when both our piety and practices
are subsumed into some form of pilgrimage. Jesus’ own wandering in the desert, his pilgrimage away from his
hometown comfort zone, prepared him to take up his public ministry. Like Jesus, pilgrims are people of courage,
willing to go out “by paths untrodden, through perils unknown.” We have such pilgrims in our midst: one after another
courageously signed up for the soup, several Chinese brothers and sisters come out at a place they have never gone
before, a few new adults showed up every Wednesday, a number of youngsters read the Word before an audience
for the very first time in their life…When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth (Luke 18)? I am sure
he will, at Bethlehem.
In God’s grace,
Pastor Frank
Dear Family and Friends,
Accidentally I overheard a brief chat between two youths before the Confirmation Class on Sunday. One was asking,
“What are you giving up in Lent?” “My mom has also asked me this question,” replied the other, “I think I will give up
vegetables this season.” While I was amused by the two, I thought I also captured a moment of truth there. The truth
is our children are observant. They watch us closely and listen to us more than we realize. “The father the son” as
we say, so much so, they copy our language, model their life on our pattern, and often reflect like a mirror who we are
as adults.
I commend you, parents and grandparents, that your endeavor to keep a good Lent has a direct positive bearing on
our young people. First time in our recent history, these youngsters eagerly serve as acolytes, greeters, and readers
in the worship service, the most important part of our communal life as a congregation. Thanks to your commitment
and support, a solid identity is being shaped for the younger generation in these active services. Their question,
around the discipline of this season, of course takes us all to a deeper level of “keeping Lent.”
In a famous sermon titled “The True Wilderness,” the Anglican theologian H.A. Williams suggested that faithful Lenten
observance “has nothing to do with giving up sugar in your tea, or trying to feel it’s wicked to be you.” So much of
what passes for Lenten discipline is mere “ecclesiastical charade.” The true Lent, this great preacher concluded, lies
in following Jesus into a wilderness place, going somewhere one has never gone before. In so doing, like Jesus we
may find renewal and inspiration, being filled by God’s Spirit (Luke 4). For old and young this is the pursuit of our
spirituality.
Make no mistake. We will faithfully carry on the Ash Wednesday Lutheran liturgy of repentance, fasting, prayer and
works of love. These forty days we keep asking God to “renew us in the gift of baptism that we may provide for those
who are poor, pray for those in need, fast from self-indulgence … and find our treasure in the life of Jesus.” These
certainly are beneficial practices.
An even deeper measure of spiritual renewal and communal faithfulness may result when both our piety and practices
are subsumed into some form of pilgrimage. Jesus’ own wandering in the desert, his pilgrimage away from his
hometown comfort zone, prepared him to take up his public ministry. Like Jesus, pilgrims are people of courage,
willing to go out “by paths untrodden, through perils unknown.” We have such pilgrims in our midst: one after another
courageously signed up for the soup, several Chinese brothers and sisters come out at a place they have never gone
before, a few new adults showed up every Wednesday, a number of youngsters read the Word before an audience
for the very first time in their life…When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth (Luke 18)? I am sure
he will, at Bethlehem.
In God’s grace,
Pastor Frank
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| Columns Section: 世紀網站專欄區 世纪网站专栏区: 008-015 王浩 專欄 王浩 专栏 Pastor Frank Wang Column 作者：王浩 王浩 Pastor Frank Wang Frank's Monthly Pastoral: 2010 March 2: "Lent " Pastoral Letter |
