Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. It is a time when we journey with Christ toward the cross, remembering His suffering and sacrifice. But it is also a time when we are called to reimagine the world—to see it not as it is but as it could be, transformed by the power of God’s kingdom. Dare we
imagine a world different from the one we know? Dare we believe that Christ’s victory over sin and death has implications not only for eternity but for the here and now?
Increasingly the future of our world seems uncertain. Power and politics, and greed and money have changed the shape of our world. Friends are now seen as enemies; enemies are now seen to be friends and allies. The history of trusted relationships and allegiance, past sacrifice for shared goals, all seems to be evaporating. The future appears to be in the hands of a few, very wealthy men. In 2017 the world’s eight richest men owned the same wealth as the poorest half of the world’s population. From 2020 their collective wealth doubled.
As Christians, we affirm that God is sovereign over all things. His kingdom is not merely a distant reality, awaiting fulfilment at the end of time; rather, it has already broken into history through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ Himself proclaimed, “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). The question before us is not whether God’s kingdom is coming—it is already here. The question is whether we have the faith to live as if this is true.
Too often, we become resigned to the brokenness of the world. We see injustice, suffering, and sin, and we assume that little can be done until Christ returns. But Jesus did not call His disciples to passive waiting. He called them to be salt and light, to pray for God’s will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), and to proclaim the good news of redemption. If we truly believe in the power of the gospel, then we must dare to imagine-and work toward-a world shaped by God’s righteousness, justice, and peace.
This does not mean that we place our hope in human efforts or political systems. The kingdom of God is not built through earthly power but through the transforming work of the Spirit. It is seen wherever love overcomes hatred, wherever mercy triumphs over
judgment, wherever the weak are lifted, and the lost are found. When we forgive rather than seek
revenge, when we serve rather than demand, when we embody the love of Christ in our relationships, we are participating in the reality of God’s kingdom.
Lent is an opportunity to examine the ways in which we have settled for the status quo rather than living in the light of God’s promises. Have we grown complacent in our faith? Have we accepted the divisions and injustices of our world as inevitable? Have we limited the power of God’s redemption to our personal salvation while ignoring its implications for society? This season calls us to repent of our unbelief, to turn from apathy to action, and to embrace the hope that Christ has indeed made all things new (Revelation 21:5).
Dare we imagine the world to be different? Yes, because the resurrection of Jesus proves that the way things are is not the way they must remain. Dare we have the faith to believe in God’s kingdom here on earth? Yes, because He has already begun this good work, and He invites us to join Him in it. May this Lenten season deepen our vision and embolden our faith as we live as citizens of God’s kingdom—now and
forever. Amen.
- Rev Andrew Howley
- Parish Minister
- March 2025