The season of Lent invites us into a time of reflection, prayer, and repentance as we again consider the meaning and power of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. What does it all mean for our lives and for the life of the world?

We’re living in a time of extreme polarization—in national and international politics, in public debate about almost everything, and even in the church itself. We’ve let ourselves fall deeper and deeper into what columnist David Brooks calls the Golden Age of “Theyism.”

This deeply troubles many of us and we wonder about not only where all this may lead but also what in the world we can do about it.

My prayer is that this Lent 2020 can become a time for us to ponder these things, individually and together. In prayer and worship. Our Lenten theme is “Be the Bridge.” It opens our minds and hearts to consider how, in our own thoughts, interactions, conversations and practices we might be the bridge that crosses divides and turns suspicion and hatred into conversation, humility, empathy and courage.

Consider these words from 2 Corinthians 5:19: “…in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, but entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”

Or, as the Jewish philosopher and writer, Martin Buber, put it in an earlier time of enmity and rancor: “The hope for this hour depends upon the hopers themselves, upon ourselves.”

May God bless to us a holy Lent.