He Set His Feet to Calvary.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 36, Issue 1, 1 April 1945, Page 8

He Set His Feet to Calvary.

Many may say what matters it, for the; observance of Lent is old fashioned, obsolete, out of date? Yet was even the world m greater need of self-control and self-denial? And that is the teaching of Lent. It does not mean merely giving up sugar m your tea, or abstaining for a few weeks from tobacco, alcohol or some other form of self indulgence. That is a foolish and unworthy interpretation, for it. goes far, far deeper thari"that. Lent recalls to Christians the fast and temptation and the self-denial of Christ which decided Him to take the only path possible for Him m the work the Father gave Him to do, a path which led to the bloody sweat of Gethsemane and the cruel death on Calvary's Cross. "If Ibe lifted up will. draw all men unto Me." No miraculous powers were to be used for Himself. No turning of stones into bread. No throwing himself "from any pinnacle. No bowing down to Satan. All ways but the path of Sacrifice must be rejected. - From thence He set His feet to Calvary. Here then is a season for Christians to draw nigh to Him by Prayer — by Fast, by Almsgiving— so that they, too, will follow the path of unselfishness, and men "may take knowledge of .them that they have been with Jesus;'' Lent means nothing less than this — and m a world so full just now of greed, of hatred, of immorality, and every kind of lustful self -intelligence vaunting. itself openly and unashamed where purity of life is scoffed and scorned by young and old alike. Is it not imperative that Christians should stand firm, and remember the question given at Baptism: thou renounce all the sinful desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them?" And the answer: "I renounce them all." God grant us the will and the unselfish Christ through Lent that strength so to follow the pure and at Easter we shall go forth of life, to bear a more faithful witstrengthened m faith and purity ness to Him who alone can save the world from degradation and share. —Church News, Tasmania.