Your annual chance to set aside the grim realities of everyday life is back.
Today is the start of the journey to Easter, and to accompany us on that journey tomorrow sees the first match-up of this year’s Saintly Showdown.
Once again 32 saintly souls will face off in the battle for the Golden Halo. Each day two saints will meet in a contest for your votes, with the winner advancing to the next round.
The next day there’ll be another match-up and you can come back to cast a vote in the new contest.
The excitement continues right up until Easter when the winner will be crowned with The Golden Halo.
We hope that you’ll enjoy the thrills and spills and maybe your Lent will be a little enlightened.
Dear Lord
As we enter this season of Lent, we humbly come before you. We acknowledge our need for your grace and mercy, and we thank you for the gift of this time to draw closer to you.
We confess our sins, our shortcomings, and the ways in which we have fallen short of your glory. Cleanse our hearts and create in us a new spirit. Help us to turn away from distractions and temptations, and to fix our eyes on you.
During these forty days, we pray for a deeper understanding of your sacrifice on the cross. May we meditate on your suffering and death, and find renewed appreciation for the immeasurable love you have shown us.
Grant us the strength to fast, to pray, and to give generously. Help us to deny ourselves, not for the sake of mere self-discipline, but for the sake of a more intimate relationship with you.
Lord, as we walk with you toward the foot of the cross, prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. May this Lent be a time of true repentance, spiritual renewal, and a deeper commitment to following you.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray.
Amen.
