Lent 2026 – Putting First Things First
Dear Bishops Prep Families,
School life is full at the moment. Fields are busy. Classrooms are focused. Music drifts down corridors. Fixtures, assessments, rehearsals, friendships, leadership moments — our boys are living rich, active lives. And right in the middle of all that movement comes one steady sentence from the Gospel of Matthew 6:33:
“Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
Not eventually, not when things calm down but first.
In chapel this week, we spoke about order. Not about removing good things but about placing them well. Sport is good. Achievement is good. Friendship is good. Ambition is good. But when everything competes for first place, boys begin to feel stretched, pressured, and unsettled.
However when God is first, something shifts.
- Pressure becomes perspective.
- Competition becomes growth.
- Mistakes become learning.
- Success becomes gratitude.
You can often see the difference in a boy who is centred. There is a steadiness about him. He competes hard, but he is not defined by winning. He works diligently, but he is not undone by one poor result. He leads with confidence, but without arrogance. That steadiness comes from knowing who sits at the centre.
As families, this season offers small, powerful opportunities:
- A short prayer in the car on the way to school.
- A moment of reflection at the dinner table.
- Choosing calm over escalation when emotions run high.
Reminding our boys that their worth is secure long before any scoreboard or report comment. Lent does not need to be loud to be meaningful. Often it is the quiet decisions that shape character most deeply.
At Bishops, we want our boys to grow not only in strength and skill, but in depth and stability. Excellence matters. But alignment matters more. Talent shines brighter when anchored in something solid.
So, as the term moves quickly as it always does, may we pause just long enough to ask: What is first? And may the answer bring peace to our homes, clarity to our boys, and strength to our community.
Many Blessings,
The Revd. Khwezi Bengani |
