5^th March this year is Ash Wednesday, so called because it is the day starting Lent when, from the Middle Ages, it became a custom to be marked in ash with the sign of the cross. (There will be opportunities for that at the services that day.)

Lent is the period when we are reminded of Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness prior to the commencement of his ministry.

Mark’s gospel simply records, after Jesus’s baptism, ‘At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals and angels attended him.’

But Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels have fuller accounts of the ways in which the devil tried to tempt Jesus, and Jesus’s responses.

When the devil said to the starving Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”, Jesus answered “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

When the devil suggested that Jesus should throw himself down from the highest point of the temple, on the basis that if he was the Son of God, he would be kept safe, Jesus replied, “It is written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

And when the devil stated that he would give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus bowed down and worshipped him, Jesus responded, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”

Oscar Wilde famously quipped, ‘I can resist everything except temptation’ but Jesus was very different and resisted all the devil’s wiles, in each case citing words from the Jewish scriptures, our Old Testament. How well can we remember words from the Bible?

Traditionally Lent is a time, according to my Common Worship: Times and Seasons book, of ‘self-examination, penitence, self-denial, study and preparation for Easter’. May we find time this Lent to reflect, to study God’s word in our Bibles and to draw closer to him.

Henry Stanford -Reader

 CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL

2025 is the year when all the Church Electoral Rolls have to be completely renewed. This happens every 6 years. If your name is on your Church Electoral Roll and you wish it to remain, you will need to complete a fresh form. If you are not on your Church Electoral Roll and wish to be you will need to complete a form also. Forms are available from your church’s Electoral Roll Officer (coddenhampcc.secretary@gmail.com) or the Churchwardens.

The Notice Sheet for 2nd March can be found here