The Significance of Prayer During Lent

By Rev. Dr. Peter M. Morgan
Disciples of Christ Historical Society President, retired
National City Christian Church, Historian in Residence

Jesus invites us to make our way with him to the cross. He invites Disciples today to pray with him in preparation for that moment just as he invited his disciples, Peter, James and John, to pray with him in Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-36).

Lent is a season to begin or to deepen our spiritual discipline of prayer. It is a journey in prayer with our Lord. The journey begins as Jesus leaves the Mountain of Transfiguration and makes his way to Jerusalem and the last week of his life, remembered by us for the Last Supper, the prayer of Gethsemane, the betrayal, the trial, the crucifixion.

In our Lenten prayers we learn early, from God's command on the Mountain of Transfiguration, to "Listen to Jesus" (Mark 9:7). We are to listen to him by reading the gospel. In 2006 the church focuses our listening by having us attend to the Gospel of Mark. As you journey to the cross with Jesus across the six weeks of Lent read Mark slowly, carefully, prayerfully. Read from Jesus' transfiguration through his execution (Mark 9:1-15:47).

Another spiritual discipline is added to listening, reading, praying. That discipline is self examination of our lives followed by confession. Lent is an arena. The word means sandy place. In the desert place of struggle we are surrounded by a light from which we cannot hide. In the light of Christ's love all pretense and self deception fall away. This desert place of struggle, this arena, also becomes a place of revelation. Our listening to Jesus lets us become intensely aware of the cost of his love to forgive us, redeem us. Our prayers of confession become cries of deepest gratitude.

In our Lenten journey we deepen our intimate relationship with the Lord we profess. We come step by step to the cross. We find ourselves at a cruel execution of an innocent man we know and love. We gaze upon the horror - the agony, the blood, the barbarity. With tears in our eyes, we whisper a prayer, "For me, for the world." In our hearts we know the total price God's love pays to reach us. Our hearts sing with our Disciples' founder Barton Stone:

Behold the love, the grace of God,
displayed in Jesus' precious blood;
my soul's on fire, it yearns to prove
the fullness of redeeming love.

What love has done, sing earth around!
Angels prolong the eternal sound!
Lo, Jesus bleeding on the tree!
There, there, the love of God I see!

(Chalice Hymnal #205)