2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample

Remember. As I get older it is interesting what I remember from my childhood. I cannot recall the address of the house I grew up in, but I can tell you there was a worn spot in the thick grey carpet next to the door leading into my room. I can’t tell you anything specific I learned in second grade, but I can tell you that my teacher always smelled like peppermint. Our minds often dictate what we recall. Some of our most cherished memories fade over time, while some of our more painful ones seem to reveal themselves more often than we want to admit. Memories often seem so arbitrary. The season of Lent is a season of remembrance. It is a guided reflection necessary to fully acknowledge the morning of Easter. The Psalmist says, “Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.” We are called not only to remember the act of the cross but we are called to remember the very nature of God that precipitated it. We are guided to recall the wonders, the miracles, and the decrees. To reflect on this nature of God begins to prepare our hearts for an understanding of the cross. Without this understanding the crucifixion is simply an event. It is the remembrance of who God is that helps us wrap our minds around the sacrifice we find in the death of Jesus. We also find that the Lenten season is not arbitrary. The preparation for Holy Week is the intentional turning of our hearts and minds to the recollection of God’s nature. Our daily lives often serve as the noise that clouds our memory, but during Lent we are called to remove those things and to remember. It is during this time our memories once again become clear. Father, as we prepare our hearts in this season, we open ourselves up to remember. To remember your goodness, your miracles, your sacrifice. We remember that it is your nature to be just, to be faithful, to be compassionate. Lord during these moments let the recollection of who you are prepare the way for our knowledge of what you have done. CHRISTY RIDINGS Associate University Minister and Director of Spiritual Formation Office of University Ministries