A Lenten Message from Dean Stephen
When we think about Lent, we often focus on giving things up. We change our consumption of food and drink, TV and social media, or maybe address some habits we hope to break. That’s all good as far as it goes. But the real purpose of simplifying our lives in Lent is to take something up more than to give something up. We de-clutter our interior lives in order to have more space for God, for prayer, for service, for people, for love. May each of us find space to cultivate the habits of a disciple of Jesus this Lent.
Journey with Job through Lent ● An Invitation from Vicar Stephen Fields
In our tradition, the rhythm of daily life is reflected in our liturgical life. Highs and lows, pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow all find their way in Anglican worship and ongoing formation. Lent takes us from the glory of Christmas, through the wilderness of temptation and the passion, to the glory of the Cross and beyond.
At the conclusion of our Lenten study last year, a request was made for a deeper engagement with the Book of Job. This ancient and unsettling text gives voice to faithful people who suffer, question, protest, and yet remain in relationship with God. Job refuses easy answers. Instead, it invites honest prayer, courageous lament, and trust that endures even when explanations fail.
During Lent, we will reflect on Job through Sunday sermons and Wednesday small group conversations under the theme “Faithfulness in the Midst of Suffering.” Our journey will move from “Blameless and Broken” (Job 1–2), to “When Friends Fail and God Is Silent” (Job 3–14), to “The Fear of the Lord: Holding on in the Dark” (Job 15–28), to “Out of the Whirlwind” (Job 38–41), and finally “Seeing God Anew” (Job 42).
All are invited to listen, wrestle, and pray together, trusting that God meets us even in the darkest questions. Have a Holy Lent.
Practice, Not Perfection in Lent from Canon Kristen Pitts
This far into Lent, 40 days can feel longer than expected, and missing a day may bring guilt. But Lent is not about perfection. It’s about practice. Missing a day (or a week!) does not mean we have failed at faithfulness any more than a musician who misses a day of exercises has failed at their art. Instead, these moments give us the opportunity to return—and in the lifelong journey of faith, returning to God is itself a valuable practice.
Deepen Your Journey with Job ● Resources to Explore from Canon Kristen Pitts
As we dive into the book of Job this Lent, consider these resources to enhance your own exploration of this scripture and its themes of loss, despair, and seeking meaning in times of suffering:
- Bible Commentary: On Job by Gustavo Gutiérrez: This book from a renowned liberation theologian connects the story of Job to the plight of oppressed peoples in our time.
- Memoir: Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved) by Kate Bowler: This honest and humorous book traces the Duke Divinity School professor’s journey following a serious diagnosis in her mid-30s.
- Poetry: Prayer in Wind by Eva Saulitis: This volume by marine biologist Eva Saulitis beautifully explores her unexpected urge to pray following a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer.
- Music: Journey with Job – Spotify Playlist: We’ve compiled a playlist of songs, both sacred and secular, that express the reality of hopelessness and grief alongside the desire to trust in God through it all. Listen here
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Watch a series of videos with practical ideas for the season here
The theme: “Faithfulness in the Midst of Suffering”.
The sermon’s topics:
Lent 1 (Sunday, Feb. 22) “Blameless and Broken” – Job 1–2 (The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields)
Lent 2 (Sunday, Mar. 1) “When Friends Fail and God Is Silent” -Job 3–14 (The Rev. Canon Kristen Pitts)
Lent 3 (Sunday, Mar. 8) “The Fear of the Lord: Holding on in the Dark” – Job 15–28 (The Rev. Canon Beth Benson)
Lent 4 (Sunday, Mar. 15) “Out of the Whirlwind” – Job 38–41 (The Rev. Matthew Waterman)
Lent 5 (Sunday, Mar. 22) “Seeing God Anew” -Job 42 – (The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields)
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Online small group discussions on Zoom:
To register for online small group discussions on Wednesdays at 7:00pm, please send an email to info@stjamescathedral.ca or call (416)364-7865 Ext. 221. The Zoom link will be provided on registration.
Questions for small group discussions:
Lent 1 (Feb. 22) “Blameless and Broken” (Job 1–2)
- Job is a good and faithful person, yet he suffers deeply. How does this challenge the idea that “good things happen to good people”?
- Job grieves, questions God, and expresses his pain openly, yet Scripture says he does not sin. What does this teach us about being honest with God?
- Do we love God for who God is, or mainly for what God gives. How would you describe the difference?
- The Saints of the faith stayed faithful even when life was painful or God felt distant. What helps people hold on to faith in hard times?
Lent 2 (March 1): “When Friends Fail and God Is Silent” (Job 3–14)
- Job curses the day of his birth and questions the purpose of his life. What does Job’s lament reveal about the place of honesty, pain, and protest in faith?
- Job’s friends believe suffering must be the result of sin or wrongdoing. Where do we still see this kind of thinking today?
- Job’s friends were most helpful when they sat in silence. Why is presence sometimes better than words?
- What does this part of Job’s story teach us about how to be faithful friends to those who are suffering?
Lent 3 (Mar. 8) “The Fear of the Lord: Holding on in the Dark” (Job 15–28)
- Job says, “I know that my Redeemer lives,” even while he is still suffering. What do you think it means to have faith without clarity?
- Job protests, questions, and laments, yet still holds on to God. What does this tell us about being honest with God in prayer?
- Wisdom is not knowing why but knowing whom we trust. How does this change the way we think about wisdom and faith?
- Christ does not explain suffering away but enters it. How does that shape the way we see God when we are hurting?