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Pray, Reflect, Repent, Prepare, Love

March 15, 2025

Deuteronomy 26:16–19  |  Matthew 5:43–48  |  Psalm 119:1–8

O God, by your Word you marvelously carry out the work of reconciliation. So begins today’s collect. But what exactly does that mean? We believe that God is indeed carrying out God’s work of reconciliation. However, we also know that we have a role in that work. But what is it? 

Our relationship with God is that of a covenant. A covenant has two parties. As Deuteronomy 26 reminds us, God has agreed to be our God, and we have agreed to walk in God’s ways. Our Old Testament ancestors understood this as an obligation to obey God and keep God’s statutes, commandments, and ordinances. However, Jesus (in Matthew 5) refines this understanding, telling us to go beyond setting an example and following “God’s rules.” We are to love others—even those who persecute us—to pray for them, and to “Be perfect, … as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus calls us to move—from an obligation to obey to a commitment to love.

Two of Lent’s themes are reflection and penitence. Our liturgy provides opportunities for reflection on our responses, individual and corporate, to God’s grace. Lent offers an extended opportunity to focus on our devotion to God and love for others. It allows a chance reflect on our actions and repent of our shortcomings. In doing this, we can prepare ourselves to continue our part in God’s work of reconciliation as we move into the Easter and Pentecost seasons. 

God demonstrated God’s commitment to us on the cross on Good Friday. What will our response be this Lent? In the collect we pray that we may be devoted to [God] with all our hearts, and united with one another in prayer and holy love. Amen, may it be so.

Steve Capps