My wife made me a cassock. We searched the fabric stores in the area for a pattern to follow. It was apparent that there was not a very high demand for liturgical garments. Of the hundreds of patterns for shirts, suits, sport coats, dresses, skirts, even the costume patterns, there was not one pattern for liturgical wear.
Much of our lives we spend looking for a pattern. When the pieces are all put together, according to the instructions, we have what we want. We want something that fits in: trendy, stylish, fashionable, something that makes other say, "Wow!"
In Lent, we are given a different pattern. The pattern isn't popular, but it is bold and does make a statement, and it is not one we can piece together. The pattern is a garment of grace.
Over these 40 days, we worship our Lord Jesus Christ as He stitches together a pristine garment that covers all of our sin. It is stitched together by His life and washed in His redeeming blood and made complete by His resurrection.
Paul writes to the Romans, appealing to them to present themselves as a living sacrifice. As living sacrifices, we have been robed in His grace and transformed to pattern our lives by His grace, and not according to the image of this world.
Though we are only half way through Lent, we've already begun to see the bright Easter colors. As the fashion world comes out with its new spring styles, may they remind us of the free and new life we've been given in Jesus Christ.
THE PRAYER: Lord of life, daily remind us that we are not bound by the patterns of this world, for we have been robed in Your righteousness. Amen.
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