Today is Ash Wednesday, and for many Christians a landmark in the Christian calendar that begins the Lenten season with an open declaration to the world as we say we are a people of the cross of Christ.  Here at the Lahore College of Theology, it is our hope, that we will embark on the season of Lent, in a spirit of mercy, justice and humility in keeping with Micah 6.

The lenten discourse is not one to be diminished selfishly to the story of our own fasting and suffering. Lent is about reflecting pro actively in Christ's journey toward the cross. It is Christ walking into the wilderness to crown the fact that he had emptied himself totally (Philippians 2:7), making himself a servant and a conqueror. The double edged journey of our Lord, into the wilderness to face the fullness of what lay ahead and even Satan who would tempt him becomes for us a critical landmark for our own journey.

Jesus knew He was on a divine mission, demonstrating in the most meek way yet with incredible might and blazing strength, the God, Prophet Joel writes about in Joel 2:1 - slow to anger and abounding in compassion. Yet this compassionate figure, a carpenter for Galilee, one who was announced by Angels and worshipped by shepherd, Magi and the heavens, is setting His face like flint and will not be turned away from His objective, journeying through the wilderness, past the encounter with Satan, past the hunger and the total fatigue, toward the Cross where total conquest would be made, total redemption paid and sin be over thrown.

Here at LCT we begin this journey with an Ash Wednesday Service, where we reflected on scriptures, worshipped in spirit and truth and heard the word preached, sending us forth as a community on this lenten period of 40 days. In community we hope to celebrate our Lord. We as individuals and a community of learning and spirituality, begin this journey following One who was resilient, unflinching and firm in His mission. It is Him who must continually be formed in us (Galatians 4:19). Know of our prayers for you as members of the global church as we set forth on this journey toward the cross of Christ from which we cannot turn our faces away for He has said 'It is finished'. We must just follow not ritual, but the Master's footprints toward abundant life.

By Rt. Rev. Bishop Azad Marshall | March 2nd, 2017