It’s not Lent yet but I am going to talk about it today because it’s important to think about Lent before it actually arrives! Many of us immediately think of fasting and giving things up for Lent which has a place but it is equally important to think about what you could take up: extra time in prayer, reflection, spiritual readings, doing good deeds, joining a Lent group, committing to an extra midweek service – all of these can help us to grow spiritually, and that is the point of Lent. One of the keys to a good and holy Lent is to plan ahead and think about what we can do.

The reading for the Sunday Before Lent is always an account of the Transfiguration. This is because it gives a glimpse of glory prior to the solemnity of the season and the time when our worship becomes a little simpler and less exuberant. The glimpse of glory we see helps us take heart and look ahead to our destination and the hope that after a time of growth and effort we will be refreshed and stronger.

Fr Simon