A reflection for the beginning of Lent

The Revd Canon Aidan Platten, Norwich Cathedral's Canon Precentor, shares a reflection for the beginning of Lent.

Watch the video message above and read the full text below.

"Welcome to Norwich Cathedral at the beginning of this season of Lent.

I'm speaking to you from a rather unusual part of the Cathedral, underneath St Saviour's Chapel. Behind me, just over here, are the foundations of the original Chapel of St Saviour. This is where Norwich Cathedral began, and from this, we have the glorious Cathedral we know today.

I'm speaking from these foundations because in this season of Lent, we are bidden to return to the basic foundations of our life.

We will hear words like repentance and penitence which can all feel rather heavily involved in sin. Repentance and penitence are both a calling for us to return to the more basic things of life, to turn around and to start again and receive God's forgiveness.

On Ash Wednesday, people receive on their forehead a cross made from ash, and they are reminded, as that cross is put on, that we have come from dust, and we will return to dust. Our life is but a passing moment in this world, and we are looking towards eternal life.

We are easily distracted by the shiny things of life, the things that give instant gratification and instant pleasure. In this season, we're called to go back to the basics, what is really important in our life?

What is really important is the love and the care that we receive from others, and that we are bidden to give to others, and love and care cannot come without forgiveness, penitence, and repentance.

So in this season, we put the shiny things to one side just for a moment.

You'll see that if you visit the Cathedral, no flowers, and for two weeks of Lent, all the shiny objects are covered.

We put all that to one side, and we focus on perhaps the less exciting bits of life.

But the necessary foundations upon which we can build a life which is full of love and harmony."