Bishop’s Message
This year, the season of Lent starts with Ash Wednesday on 5 March. It commemorates the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert while being tempted by Satan. It is a time for believers of Jesus to reflect on and prepare for the suffering and death of Jesus.
Traditionally, Lent is a period of grief for the suffering of Jesus that ends with the celebration of Easter and the resurrection of Christ. It is known by some as the season of “bright sadness”—a profound combination of sadness and joy.
Lent is marked by the emphasis on prayer, fasting, giving and the repentance of sins as we are reminded of the price Jesus paid on the cross. We are also reminded of how deeply sinful and undeserving we are and that it is only through Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s love, mercy and grace that we have the hope of reconciliation and eternal life.
This season invites us to see the depth of sin and brokenness in and around us and to long for a renewed and reconciled relationship with God through Jesus. Although Lent is not a scriptural command, it is, nonetheless, a precious time for us to take time out of our full schedules to draw close to God. We are reminded that the life we have today, and the one we look forward to in eternity, did not come without a cost.
As we approach this holy season, amidst the busy-ness of the daily grind, may the Holy Spirit speak to each of us in the still, quiet moments. May we be filled with a holy grief at what Jesus had to endure because of our sins and may this grief lead to conviction in our hearts of how we should live our lives.
We also remember that at the end of these 40 days is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death. God’s grand plan is not one that ends with grief and sadness, but with joy, hope, victory and celebration!
Bishop Philip Lim was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2024. He served as a missionary in Cambodia under the Methodist Missions Society (MMS) previously, and was Executive Director of MMS from 2012 to 2018.