One thing that stands out in my experience of Orthodox Christian worship is the repeated litanies. Several times during the service the deacon stands before the iconostasis (a screen with icons) and begins the prayer, “Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord.” The congregation responds, “Lord our God, have mercy.”

Again and again. Why is so much of worship repetitious? One might also ask the question, why do people breathe all the time? Why do they eat and drink? Obviously we die without eating and drinking and breathing. Not so obviously we die spiritually without a proper connection to God. Repetition is a way of helping the essentials of the spiritual life become ingrained in us. It’s why we have Lent year after year.

There are two essentials in Lent. The first is the story of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We need to hear that story again and again. Without that sacrifice we are lost. Without that story there is no Christianity. Period.

The second essential in Lent is repentance. To repent is to be sorry for one’s wrong thoughts and actions and to ask forgiveness. Literally repentance means turning around. It means recognizing that we have gone down the wrong path and turning back to God. Repentance is made possible because of the sacrifice of Christ.

Yes, we’ve heard it all before, but it seems to get forgotten. So we have Lent again and again. Christ died for us so that we might be forgiven. Repent and believe the Good News.

Read Mark 1:9-15 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne