Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we enter the second week of Lent, we find ourselves once again walking this path of grace, following in the footsteps of Jesus. Lent is not a time to prove what we can do, but a time to confess once more that we are still people in need of God’s grace.
As we heard on Ash Wednesday, Jesus prayed from the cross, “Father, forgive them.” This prayer is not only a moment from the past. It is a living prayer of grace that continues even now, spoken by Christ within us today.
This year, our Lenten Soup and Study has begun with the theme People Around the Cross. In our first session, we reflected on Peter’s denial and restoration. Peter denied Jesus in a moment of weakness, yet the risen Lord came to him again, restored him, and called him once more. Through Peter’s story, we are reminded that Jesus’ forgiveness does not condemn us, but leads us into a new way forward.
This is the grace we need as we continue our Lenten journey in March. Lent is a season of forgiveness. It is a season of making room in our hearts for God’s grace, and a season when relationships can be restored. When we release the wounds, disappointments, resentment, and misunderstandings that have taken root in our hearts, God’s grace is able to flow through us in new and life-giving ways.
During this Lenten season, I invite you to consider a few small practices. Pray quietly for one person who comes to mind. Bring before God, with honesty, the emotions you may be holding onto. If possible, offer one small act of kindness.
And like Peter, practice forgiving yourself as well, trusting that the Lord who restored him also restores us. Forgiveness is not easy, but Jesus is the one who shows us the way. His prayer continues to hold us, soften us, and renew both our hearts and our relationships.
Dear friends, Lent is not a season of judgment, but a season where forgiveness begins. In this season of grace, may God gently tend your hearts and grant you the gifts of inner healing and restored relationships. May the peace of Christ fill your homes and your lives.
Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ – Luke 23:34
In Christ,
Rev. Dr. Hyuntae Kim