Suzhou Church Starts Lenten Meditations

2021年2月17日是圣灰礼仪，自这一天起，基督教会就已进入传统节期四旬期也称为预苦期（Lent）。此节期共有四十天，纪念耶稣受洗后在旷野禁食四十昼夜，专心仰赖神的帮助，得胜仇敌的试探。帮助基督徒反省自己的属灵生命，透过克苦、克己的生活帮助信徒认识耶稣的受难与救赎。

苏州市宫巷基督教堂于2月20日，在微信公众号推出大斋期灵修，4-5分钟的灵修默想。通过一段经文思想、反思、祈祷，最后将默想落实在行动中。目前已经做了三期《以诺与上帝同行》、《挪亚兴建方舟》、《耶稣是太初的道》，引导信徒在这一期间能有更多的时间来亲近神，以敬虔的心用忏悔和禁食来纪念主耶稣受难复活。

On February 20, the Gongxiang Christian Church in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province launched Lenten spiritual meditations. 

On its WeChat official account, 4-5 minutes of daily spiritual meditation is released for readers to think, reflect, pray through a scripture passage, and finally put the reflection into their actions. 

At present, three issues entitled "Enoch Walks with God," "Noah Builds the Ark," and "Jesus is the Word in the Beginning" are produced to guide the believers to have more time with God during this period and to commemorate the crucifix resurrection of the Lord Jesus by repentance and to fast with their purity.

Since this year's Ash Wednesday, namely February 17, 2021, the church starts the traditional feast of Lent, also known as the Pre-Suffering Period. The Lent, which lasts forty days, commemorates that, after his forty days and forty nights of fasting in the desert, Jesus believes wholeheartedly in God's aid to conquer the temptation of the enemy.

- Translated by Sophia Chen