I spend so much time preparing and writing so others can experience Lent that I almost forget to let the season be real. This year I decided to practice the prayer of Examen at midday. So far I'm finding it helpful to notice what is happening emotionally underneath the to-do list. Am I making a pastoral visit in the hospital, or am I helping someone be in the divine presence while they are sick and vulnerable?
Todd, This last question as you phrase it is a wonderful turn of the attention. I always try to do it with my little one, my 5 yr old daughter. And I often fail. I focus on getting her out of the door for daycare rather than on doing that task with a love that helps her become her best self. Practice. Fall down. Get up. Practice...
I tried to write a response yesterday but words didn't make sense of my thoughts and feelings. I'm with you on lamenting the bad news of the past week. I have been deeply affected by Mr. Navalny's death ...thinking about the courage it took to face the authoritarian dictator and almost certain torture, if not death.
Hope died for a few days but it reminds me what kind of life is worth living. A brave, yet vulnerable life...giving away everything you've got in your heart in your way.
There is a documentary on CNN worthy of watching about his life since the poisoning that almost killed him. He was fully human and imperfect, but a power of purpose.
Yes, thank you Debbie, it is an impressive documentary. navalny went back to his home country just like Bonhoeffer did. Hope reminds us that it transcends even death 😇.
I'm such a beginner at this. I'm reminding myself to focus on gratitude. When my spirit gets grumpy, I focus on the gifts of . . . my precious dogs, my dear friends, the opportunity to write postcards to American voters, the joy of helping committed Texas voters get to the polls, the most recent conviction, the beauty of cool days and warm days, caring people in Gaza and Ukraine, the Ukranian checker at Natural Grocers whose friends raised money for another Ukranian who needed a $1,000 battery for home electricity in Ukraine. . . I want to focus on whatever is now or next, and be grateful. Each little piece of gratitude builds on the last one. How can I tell gratitude must be good? God is keeping me sane!!
I agree with Almut on staying sane. It is also a good criterion for whether a practice is helping or not. For me, gratitude is at the heart of all spiritual approaches. If it does not lead to gratitude, to an open heart, I am suspicious.
Dear Almut, You touch a thousand strands, a thousands chords of the heart with your words. We need the fire and we need to wait in quiet expectation, as you say. Here are the words I find most compelling. "Perhaps Lent is after all not so much about giving something up but more about deepening. About walking slowly and waiting patiently for Spring to finally come, about being present to the lengthening days even as the snow still flies, even when the present is full of mourning." Thank you for your thoughts in this season of lengthening. Yes, Spring comes for He is faithful.
Dear Henry, thank you so much for your kind words. They just came in the right time when I was struggling with writers block. It is so nourishing to hear how our words are received, isn’t it? So thank you so much for reading so deeply and graciously.🙏
I like the line about "deepening" rather than "giving something up" . I have so much to give up: time wasted, scrolling, worrying, avoiding, ignoring etc. All little "nasties". What I need for lent is a deepening of /for me on what is important and what can I do. Moving forward feels so much better than wallowing. Lovely blessing, and I can smell spring.
How sweet it is, the smell of spring 🌱. I think deepening and giving up might in the end go hand in hand. We deepen while we focus on what truly matters.
Your words and blessing are a prayer to me on a dark night of grieving as I pack and walk in circles to go be with family in an unexpected turning. Thank you for creating a holding and hopeful presence.
I tried practicing wordlessness (using strategies from a Martha Beck book) for 5 minutes a day, but I felt I didn't yet have the patience and didn't feel like it was building my connection to God, so I've pivoted to writing myself a letter from love/God (a la Elizabeth Gilbert), so far I am feeling more successful at deepening the connection with this method.
Amy, thank you for sharing this part of your journey. You see logic does not apply for our inner life and while wordlessness works for some it does not for others. And then it also depends on our soul’s season and what we need where we are. So it seems your heart needs warm words of appreciation. And that might require a giving up of critical words may be? Blessings on your journey!
Lovely piece right here! The thought of deepening instead of giving up sounds perfect! Deepening our relationship to the all knowing! Thanks for this share, Almut!!
thank you, Kevin, yes, I prefer deepening to giving up, but may be I am tricking myself here? I think if the practice of giving up leads to deepening and if the deepening leads to giving up what is not needed we might make some sense after all :-) Blessings!
I agree with you about the pointlessness of giving up trivial things like coffee and chocolate for lent. Nothing can compare with what Jesus gave up for us; the glory of heaven and then his human life. I didn't know the word 'lent' originally meant lengthening; that is a beautiful image as the days get longer. But only works for us in the northern half of the planet.
Yes, the language is from an obscure island in the northern hemisphere, as the religion is from "march-over" country between old empires. Thanks for saying this. Almut is right (below) that we should ask folks in the "other" hemisphere how one reads these northern traditions and sayings. The Jesuits did great work (and got in "good trouble" too) trying to adapt the gospel to other experiences, traditions and cultures. It is always worth the effort to connect. We might learn something, and be changed in the process.
For those asking about how this resonates in the southern hemisphere - I’m in Australia and Autumn feels a long way off this summer … but the connection definitely resonates. A letting go and a hope.
Thank you Monique, this is so interesting. I never really thought about how the Southern hemispheres seasons correspond with the church seasons. So your Christmas is in the hight of summer? We so much associate Christmas with candle lighting and cold and Easter with Spring!
Yes, our Christmas feels completely different. I had the joy of Christmas in Germany last December - and it was such a gift to experience it the way my ancestors did. I’m first generation Australian- my parents came here in the 1950s.
I spend so much time preparing and writing so others can experience Lent that I almost forget to let the season be real. This year I decided to practice the prayer of Examen at midday. So far I'm finding it helpful to notice what is happening emotionally underneath the to-do list. Am I making a pastoral visit in the hospital, or am I helping someone be in the divine presence while they are sick and vulnerable?
Todd, This last question as you phrase it is a wonderful turn of the attention. I always try to do it with my little one, my 5 yr old daughter. And I often fail. I focus on getting her out of the door for daycare rather than on doing that task with a love that helps her become her best self. Practice. Fall down. Get up. Practice...
Right. Am I present to the people I'm with, or am I just getting something done?
Thank you and well said 🙏🕊️
🙏
I tried to write a response yesterday but words didn't make sense of my thoughts and feelings. I'm with you on lamenting the bad news of the past week. I have been deeply affected by Mr. Navalny's death ...thinking about the courage it took to face the authoritarian dictator and almost certain torture, if not death.
Hope died for a few days but it reminds me what kind of life is worth living. A brave, yet vulnerable life...giving away everything you've got in your heart in your way.
There is a documentary on CNN worthy of watching about his life since the poisoning that almost killed him. He was fully human and imperfect, but a power of purpose.
Yes, thank you Debbie, it is an impressive documentary. navalny went back to his home country just like Bonhoeffer did. Hope reminds us that it transcends even death 😇.
Yes I thought of Bonhoeffer also!
I love the last line. A great tribute and a good goal for us all.
I'm such a beginner at this. I'm reminding myself to focus on gratitude. When my spirit gets grumpy, I focus on the gifts of . . . my precious dogs, my dear friends, the opportunity to write postcards to American voters, the joy of helping committed Texas voters get to the polls, the most recent conviction, the beauty of cool days and warm days, caring people in Gaza and Ukraine, the Ukranian checker at Natural Grocers whose friends raised money for another Ukranian who needed a $1,000 battery for home electricity in Ukraine. . . I want to focus on whatever is now or next, and be grateful. Each little piece of gratitude builds on the last one. How can I tell gratitude must be good? God is keeping me sane!!
I agree with Almut on staying sane. It is also a good criterion for whether a practice is helping or not. For me, gratitude is at the heart of all spiritual approaches. If it does not lead to gratitude, to an open heart, I am suspicious.
Thank you for sharing a piece of your journey, dear Carol. Staying sane is an important task these days 😇
Dear Almut, You touch a thousand strands, a thousands chords of the heart with your words. We need the fire and we need to wait in quiet expectation, as you say. Here are the words I find most compelling. "Perhaps Lent is after all not so much about giving something up but more about deepening. About walking slowly and waiting patiently for Spring to finally come, about being present to the lengthening days even as the snow still flies, even when the present is full of mourning." Thank you for your thoughts in this season of lengthening. Yes, Spring comes for He is faithful.
Dear Henry, thank you so much for your kind words. They just came in the right time when I was struggling with writers block. It is so nourishing to hear how our words are received, isn’t it? So thank you so much for reading so deeply and graciously.🙏
I like the line about "deepening" rather than "giving something up" . I have so much to give up: time wasted, scrolling, worrying, avoiding, ignoring etc. All little "nasties". What I need for lent is a deepening of /for me on what is important and what can I do. Moving forward feels so much better than wallowing. Lovely blessing, and I can smell spring.
How sweet it is, the smell of spring 🌱. I think deepening and giving up might in the end go hand in hand. We deepen while we focus on what truly matters.
Your words and blessing are a prayer to me on a dark night of grieving as I pack and walk in circles to go be with family in an unexpected turning. Thank you for creating a holding and hopeful presence.
Pegge, I am glad my words reached you. May they also hold you where you have to go and what you have to tend to. Blessings on your way 🙏
🥰
😍
I tried practicing wordlessness (using strategies from a Martha Beck book) for 5 minutes a day, but I felt I didn't yet have the patience and didn't feel like it was building my connection to God, so I've pivoted to writing myself a letter from love/God (a la Elizabeth Gilbert), so far I am feeling more successful at deepening the connection with this method.
Amy, thank you for sharing this part of your journey. You see logic does not apply for our inner life and while wordlessness works for some it does not for others. And then it also depends on our soul’s season and what we need where we are. So it seems your heart needs warm words of appreciation. And that might require a giving up of critical words may be? Blessings on your journey!
I'm so appreciating your weekly reflections and encouragements.
So good to have you with us on this new journey! 😍💝🎈
Lovely piece right here! The thought of deepening instead of giving up sounds perfect! Deepening our relationship to the all knowing! Thanks for this share, Almut!!
thank you, Kevin, yes, I prefer deepening to giving up, but may be I am tricking myself here? I think if the practice of giving up leads to deepening and if the deepening leads to giving up what is not needed we might make some sense after all :-) Blessings!
I agree with you about the pointlessness of giving up trivial things like coffee and chocolate for lent. Nothing can compare with what Jesus gave up for us; the glory of heaven and then his human life. I didn't know the word 'lent' originally meant lengthening; that is a beautiful image as the days get longer. But only works for us in the northern half of the planet.
Yes, the language is from an obscure island in the northern hemisphere, as the religion is from "march-over" country between old empires. Thanks for saying this. Almut is right (below) that we should ask folks in the "other" hemisphere how one reads these northern traditions and sayings. The Jesuits did great work (and got in "good trouble" too) trying to adapt the gospel to other experiences, traditions and cultures. It is always worth the effort to connect. We might learn something, and be changed in the process.
Just occurred to me. Lent in the southern hemisphere reaches into Autumn, when the leaves are falling. There might be some resonance there.
For those asking about how this resonates in the southern hemisphere - I’m in Australia and Autumn feels a long way off this summer … but the connection definitely resonates. A letting go and a hope.
Thank you Monique, this is so interesting. I never really thought about how the Southern hemispheres seasons correspond with the church seasons. So your Christmas is in the hight of summer? We so much associate Christmas with candle lighting and cold and Easter with Spring!
Yes, our Christmas feels completely different. I had the joy of Christmas in Germany last December - and it was such a gift to experience it the way my ancestors did. I’m first generation Australian- my parents came here in the 1950s.
I can think of some already :-)
I’m in Australia and Autumn feels a long way off this summer … but the connection definitely resonates. A letting go and a hope.
that is right, the other half surely has to come up with more fitting symbols, so may be some readers from the southern half can help us out here?
I love the so much. Thank you
so glad it resonated with you, dear Donna!
Haha that’s a great way to put it!! Blessings!!