"'Christmas Pageant' is the heading that comes up every time I try to open my computer. It is a strange problem—Christmas is kept before me at all times. The strangeness is that this 'problem' can be inspiring, strengthening—a good thing is called to mind even if 'out of season.'

"Could there ever be such a thing as a 'Lenten Pageant'? I suspect that 'yes' is the true answer, and I suspect that we already have something like a Lenten Pageant. The thing in question would be some kind of Medieval morality play, a meditation on sin and the way God rescues us. So, what would be the mood of such a drama, what kind of music would affirm its message, who would be its characters?

"The Lenten mood is one of partnership. We join Jesus in discovering the heart of Life, we join the Lord in his time of prayer and listening. We join with Jesus in finding strength and meaning. Otherwise, we slog on just as we are—tired soldiers in the war zone of life, trying to get by with minimal attention to our wounds or the agonies/ecstasies of others.

"The music of Lent is the music of the Light. We hear the mysterious invitation of God: 'Friend, come up higher.' 'This is the heavenly table spread for me.' Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face.' Many of us were trained to think of Lent as a grim time: in fact, it is one of joy, the joy of being forgiven and refreshed.

"Adam and Eve—that is 'Man' and 'Woman,' head the cast of Lent. There is a place for all of us. As Father Faber's hymn puts it, 'There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea...there is welcome for the sinner and more graces for the good.' So, whether you feel optimistic or pessimistic about yourself, Lent has something to offer.

"Lent is the Church's special gift to Christians. Lent takes Jesus as a personal model and invites us to our own time of prayer and discipline. Lent takes the pioneering Jerusalem Church of the Fourth Century as a wise guide: prepare for Easter, prepare for new Life through education and worship. Lent unites Mind and Spirit, Body and Soul. In short, Lent is a very good thing.

"With all this in mind, with all of this taken to heart, I invite you to look hard at what is planned for this Lent at Saint Nicholas. Make the parish calendar your calendar of learning and praying.

"God is with you and His will is that we all grow in love and understanding. For now, let us be people of Lent so that we will be the strong 'Alleluia People' of Easter."

Father James