Lent formally begins today - that period when Christians enter a period (40 days and 40 nights) of penitence and reflection leading up to the Passion of Easter. Traditionally this starts with the ashes of last year's Palm Sunday crosses being mixed with anointing oil and smeared on the forehead in the shape of the cross. We have two services for this rite today - a morning service at Whaddon and an evening service at Winterslow. I chose to go to Whaddon this morning as we need to get ready for our trip to Grimsby tonight. The Whaddon service was taken by Jane and Andrew and Andrew gave an excellent extempore sermon on the text of Matthew 6 - especially from Verse 16 - look it up! In essence Andrew was saying that those of us who observe Lent should not go around making it obvious - it should be a quiet observance and indeed, rather than giving things up (and he made the point that he is not giving up alcohol) think of things we could do. I took him at his word and cleaned off the sooty cross from my forehead when I got back in my car. Andrew was inspired by the stewardship presentation last night at Deanery Synod and especially the first slide which described discipleship as moving from where we are now to where God wants us to be. This is a thought I intend to reflect on throughout the Lenten period. This afternoon I paid a brief visit to the Andover garden Centre (brilliantly refurbished) to buy a small birthday present for Mum which we can take up tomorrow. An early night now beckons as we have to be on the road by 6.30 a.m. in order to get to Grimsby in good time for my cousin's funeral.
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