"Sweet the moments, rich in blessing, which before the cross we spend ”

SBH 63:1

To have a specific Lenten culture is perhaps the greatest gift of Lutheran piety to the wider church. As we enter the somber 40 days, we rediscover the richness of our heritage in prayers and music. The Lutheran tradition added to the traditional Lenten discipline of prayer, almsgiving and fasting a specific culture of what you might call a Christ-centered mystical meditation. Paul Gerhardt’s moving passion chorale “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”/“O sacred head now wounded”, is the classic example for this kind of piety. For some people this impetus might be an obstacle, and some even find it perverse to focus on the cross, an instrument of execution, a symbol of pain and sorrows and torture.

But Lent is not a masochistic exercise nor is it an exercise in itself. It is a way, leading up to Jerusalem, leading up to Calvary, the “green hill far awy” but not stopping there, going on to Easter, the celebration of the resurrection. On that way, we pause again and again to reflect on Christ’s way leading up to the cross.

So, why are those moments sweet and rich in blessing, which before the cross we spend? Otto Riethmüller, a German theologian, says:       

“The history of humankind encompasses many and countless stories of pain and passion, but there is only one Passion. Many a cross was erected on earth, but only one is the cross. The story of Jesus’ death is an unparalleled story; for his dying brought about the death of death.”

“Die Menschheitsgeschichte um-
schließt ungezählte Leidensgeschich-
ten, aber nur eine heißt: die Leidensgeschichte. Es wurden viele Kreuze auf dieser Erde errichtet; aber nur eines ist das Kreuz ... Die Geschichte des Todes Jesu ist darum die Geschichte ohnegleichen, weil sein Sterben des Todes Tod wurde.“

The cross invites us to receive and accept with gratitude what God did for us and what he gave us in his Son. It is also a public reminder: that pain and death are part of our lives, and that brokenness is not a shame, but a sign of true humanity. It helps us not to forget this part, and hopefully to come to terms with our brokenness in placing it right before the cross. Praying before the cross, placing their needs and fears and pains there has given people reassurance and hope from generation to generation.

For Martin Luther the cross always is at the center of the Christian faith, therefore he calls the whole process of faith “coming to the cross”. Coming to the cross is a dynamic, twofold process: it means realizing our own needs and shortcomings and at the same time realizing the gift of life and reconciliation in Christ. It is not a onetime thing, but rather a lifelong pilgrimage.

This season of Lent is inviting all of us just to do this: come to the cross again, see what God did for you, meditate on it, place your needs before it and receive the good news:

Here we find the dawn of heaven
while upon the cross we gaze
see our trespasses forgiven
and our songs of triumph raise.

Lord, in ceaseless contemplation
fix our hearts and eyes on thee,
till we taste thy full salvation
and unveiled thy glories see.
(SBH 63:3+4)