Pastor Kory's Page for Sunday, February 15, 2026

“Lent” comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning “spring season.” While it doesn’t look much like spring yet, soon enough, flowers will begin to blossom and tree buds will emerge. The Old Testament festival of Passover along with Jesus’ death and resurrection all took place in the springtime. Throughout church history, Christians have also set aside a springtime season of preparation and remembrance for Holy Week and Easter, the season we know as “Lent.”

For some people, Lent may conjure up ideas of dark and depressing hymns or of giving up one too many creature comforts – a season of “dos” and “don’ts.” I want to encourage you, though, to view Lent as a time of opportunity. Just as springtime is a season of new life, Lent is also a time of renewal in our life in Christ.

The words of the prophet Joel characterize this season: “‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.” (Joel 2:12-13) Just as the Lord called His Old Testament people to return to Him with repentant hearts, He still desires the same from us.

While the entire Christian life is meant to be lived in repentance before the Lord, the season of Lent is especially intended for repenting of our sins and leaving them at the cross of Christ. Lent is a great time to do just what Joel 2:13 says: returning to the Lord your God. He constantly invites you back to Him! Return to Him in regularly attending Divine Services and receiving the Lord’s Supper. Return to Him in confession and repentance. Return to Him through prayer and the reading and hearing of His Holy Word. And return to Him in thanksgiving, remembering all that Christ Jesus underwent for your salvation and forgiveness.

Ash Wednesday, which falls on Feb. 18 this year, begins the Lenten season. I encourage you to return to the Lord by attending our 6:30 PM Ash Wednesday service, which will begin with a traditional symbol of repentance: the imposition of ashes. For anyone who is unable to attend the evening service, I will also be available to offer the imposition of ashes before and after the 10:00 AM Bible study on Feb. 18 and again from 2:00-4:00 PM. Please contact me if you’d like to arrange a specific or different time. If you would also like to participate in individual Confession and Absolution, I will be available for that as well. Please avail yourself of these opportunities. 

Our Wednesday services this Lent will continue our focus on St. Matthew’s Gospel as we look closer at “Places of the Passion” (the city of Jerusalem, the village of Bethany, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the courtyard of the high priest, and Pilate’s judgment hall), destinations on Jesus’ journey to the cross for us. Please join us each week at 6:30 PM from Feb. 18 – March 25. Pre-service meals will also be offered, beginning on Weds, Feb. 25.

A Lutheran Hour Lenten devotional booklet is also available for you in the church entryway. Its theme is “Behold the King.” It offers devotional messages and reflection questions for you from Ash Wednesday through Easter.

Another devotional opportunity which you might consider would be to select one of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and read through it over the Lenten season. Trace Jesus’ march to Calvary from heaven, to Bethlehem, to His eventual ministry, and His final days before His death for you on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Fasting is another practice associated with the season of Lent. While this isn’t something that you must do in a certain amount or certain way, it’s another opportunity to offset this time of Lent, to practice the fruit of self-control, and to forego certain foods or distractions. Jesus Himself fasted at the beginning of His ministry (as we’ll see on Sun, Feb. 22nd), and He also assumed that His disciples would practice fasting, since He said, “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others” (Matthew 6:16). In this passage, Jesus makes the point that fasting is a good step to take in our devotion to the Lord but that it’s not meant to be something that we do for show. If you choose to fast this Lent (whether from certain foods or drinks, technologies, or habits), view it as an opportunity to set aside some unnecessary things in order to give more time and attention to your Lord and His great sacrifice for you.

Lent is an opportunity. In these days leading up to Ash Wednesday, I encourage you to prayerfully reflect on how this year’s Lenten season can be an opportunity for you to return to your Lord, grow in His Word, and experience repentance and renewal in your Christian faith.

Peace in Christ,

            Pastor Kory Janneke