I've struggled for years to make Lent more meaningful. I think it's reflective of my faith journey. There have been years where it was Easter before I knew it, and other years 40 days seemed like an eternity.
I grew up thinking of Lent as a punitive season, where you're sent to time out. You give up something, and suffer through it. Then, at my old church, things got turned on it's head with Lenten thinking. You don't have to give something up to prove that you are pious. You can also take something on-a new service project, spiritual discipline, healthy living tool-instead of moping around. I've worked to be a factor of change in my world, to have a spiritual jubilee on Easter morning. I'm looking to spend the 40 days of Lent to cancel out some negative forces, and let the sunshine in.
Several years ago, I decided to pray Compline every night during Lent. It is the final prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the framework of monastic living. It is the final prayer of the day, and I found it a peaceful way to settle into sleep. It's been years, and it's still part of my practice.
One year, I gave up meat for Lent, which is now a trend. While it didn't deepen my spiritual journey as much as I thought it might, it added another dimension to my life-I began to focus on compassionate living. Another year, I read the Purpose Driven Life.
Once I gave up giving things up for Lent, it took on a new dimension for me.
When Jesus took to the desert (the Biblical basis for Lent) I don't think He was looking to give up something, I think he was searching for a deeper meaning for His ministry. As a result Lent is no longer a season I dread, but a chance to deepen my faith, my personal ministry. It's a labor of love-I am just one little minion in a sea of minions.
Faith needs to elastic, not static. It needs to change, twist, be flexible. Where my faith was in my early 20's is completely different than it is now in my early 40's. If it had stayed the same, there would be a problem because that means I haven't changed.
Lent is a chance to go to the well and find water, and never be thirsty.
4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:4-14)
5 comments:
This is a very special post. Thank you.
This is a lovely post thank you for sharing this with us.
Lent has a special and personal meaning for everyone. What is beautiful about the story of the woman at the well was that she went and told others about Jesus and said "Could this be the Christ?" Excellent post for the week.
Beautiful, meaningful post.
"Faith needs to elastic, not static." Yes!
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