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We've looked at why some people choose to "give up" something during Lent, and other to "take on" something during Lent. But, what happens when we "cheat" during Lent? Let's say you've given up honking your horn at other drivers for Lent, but this morning, during the thunderstorm, you discovered your usual route was blocked by downed tree limbs, so you had to take an alternate route, and it was CONGESTED with drivers like you who don't normally take that route. There was confusion and frustrations ran high, and before you knew it, you hit the horn at that driver on their cell phone who caused you to have to sit through the light because of their lack of attention. What now?
Welcome to humanity! We are not perfect people, and the purpose of Lent is not to make us perfect. Rather, Lent affords us the opportunity to examine our lives and make a concentrated effort to be better people and live in kinder, gentler ways. We are not God, we are simply endeavoring to become more like God in the way we treat ourselves and others. So, while you should be aware that you have broken your Lenten promise, it's not a matter of life and death (unless you scared the other driver so much you caused an accident!). Just use the opportunity to observe in yourself what you did and resolve to not let it happen again. Lent is a journey and sometimes the path forks alongs the way. Just keep your eye on where you want to end up (a loving and peaceful person who is part of a loving and peaceful world) and if you get off track, just get back on!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Hunger
Yesterday we looked at gratitude, particularly as it regards food. Today, I want to look at hunger. It goes without saying that there is a lot of hunger in the world. Some of this hunger is for basic nourishment. We sometimes think of the hungry and starving people in developing countries, or in homeless camps in our cities, and we are called, as Christians, to try to alleviate hunger in the world. No one should ever have to go to bed with an empty belly. Many of us make an intentional effort to focus on this type of hunger during Lent and often make special donations to feed the hungry. This is something we should and must do during Lent and year round.
However, today I want you to reflect on a different type of hunger. I know all of you, so I think I can safely say you all have plenty to eat. But we all have a hunger inside. What do you hunger for? What is missing in your life? Do you long for something you can name? Or is your longing nebulous and frustrating?
Sometimes I wander into the kitchen at night and just open the refridgerator or the pantry and stand there and stare into them. I want something, but I can't always put my finger on what it is I want. Sometimes I know I want something sweet. Othertimes salty. Most times I have no idea. I usually end up settling for something that ends up being unsatisfying.
Lent is an excellent time to figure out what it is you hunger for. Do you long for a creative outlet? Do you hunger for a passionate relationship or for renewed passion in your existing relationships? Are you wandering about from volunteer job to committee to organization and yet you find your work unsatisfying?
Often we know something is missing, but we can't quite put our finger on what it is that we want. Reflect for a time today on what it is you hunger for, and then ask God to open the doors that will lead you to satiation. Then resolve to stop using your resources and precious energies on those things that bring you no satisfaction, and focus on the thing that you really hunger for.
However, today I want you to reflect on a different type of hunger. I know all of you, so I think I can safely say you all have plenty to eat. But we all have a hunger inside. What do you hunger for? What is missing in your life? Do you long for something you can name? Or is your longing nebulous and frustrating?
Sometimes I wander into the kitchen at night and just open the refridgerator or the pantry and stand there and stare into them. I want something, but I can't always put my finger on what it is I want. Sometimes I know I want something sweet. Othertimes salty. Most times I have no idea. I usually end up settling for something that ends up being unsatisfying.
Lent is an excellent time to figure out what it is you hunger for. Do you long for a creative outlet? Do you hunger for a passionate relationship or for renewed passion in your existing relationships? Are you wandering about from volunteer job to committee to organization and yet you find your work unsatisfying?
Often we know something is missing, but we can't quite put our finger on what it is that we want. Reflect for a time today on what it is you hunger for, and then ask God to open the doors that will lead you to satiation. Then resolve to stop using your resources and precious energies on those things that bring you no satisfaction, and focus on the thing that you really hunger for.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Spiritual Disciplines and Gratitude
I've tossed around the term "spiritual discipline" a few times during this Lenten season, so I'd like to clarify what I mean. A spiritual discipline is any habit or activity done with intention that helps us be more "in touch" with our spirituality and with God. During Lent, many of us choose one discipline (like fasting, prayer, self-denial, service to the marginalized, etc.) to focus on in order to try to integrate it into our lives in order to become more spiritually connected.
It really matters not which of the disciplines you choose for your Lenten focus. What matters is that you practice it on a consistent basis for the 40 days of Lent. One discipline that I have found to be particularly meaningful for me is the practice of giving thanks for meals. This does not have to be done in a public or showy way, in fact scripture specifically instructs that our prayers should be private, however it is important that it be done with intentionality. You don't have to bow your head or join hands at the table (although there is certainly nothing wrong with doing those things and in fact, that can be a lovely and meaningful moment with those with whom you are sharing your meal) or make a big deal about it, just offer up a word or thought of gratitude.
I think it's great to be thankful that we have food on the table, but what I really connect with is the realization, at each meal, that there are many people who are instrumental in delivering this food to me. I try to remember to be grateful for the farmers who grow the food, the workers who harvest the food, nature for supplying the sun and the rain to nourish the food, the people who process and package the food, the truck drivers who ferry the food to the store, the workers in the store who stock the food, the clerk who puts the food in the bag, etc., even the government workers who try to keep our food supplies safe. A meal becomes almost a song of praise to God for the beautiful system we have here in the US for food. Of course it's not flawless, but there are lots of people who work in beautiful concert to feed us, and saying thanks before a meal should encompass something greater than just being thankful that you are not hungry. Now, I don't necessarily go through that entire list of people in my mind every time I pray my thanks at mealtime, but I do try to be conscious and aware of how many people are involved in getting my food to the table, and I am grateful to them.
So tonight, as you sit down to your meal, offer up a little prayer of gratitude not only for the abundance of your food, but also for all the folks who get it to you. If you do this for the period of Lent, it will grow in your heart an appreciation for others who help to provide nourishment for your body, and this in turn, will nourish you on your spiritual journey.
With a grateful heart.
Teresa
It really matters not which of the disciplines you choose for your Lenten focus. What matters is that you practice it on a consistent basis for the 40 days of Lent. One discipline that I have found to be particularly meaningful for me is the practice of giving thanks for meals. This does not have to be done in a public or showy way, in fact scripture specifically instructs that our prayers should be private, however it is important that it be done with intentionality. You don't have to bow your head or join hands at the table (although there is certainly nothing wrong with doing those things and in fact, that can be a lovely and meaningful moment with those with whom you are sharing your meal) or make a big deal about it, just offer up a word or thought of gratitude.
I think it's great to be thankful that we have food on the table, but what I really connect with is the realization, at each meal, that there are many people who are instrumental in delivering this food to me. I try to remember to be grateful for the farmers who grow the food, the workers who harvest the food, nature for supplying the sun and the rain to nourish the food, the people who process and package the food, the truck drivers who ferry the food to the store, the workers in the store who stock the food, the clerk who puts the food in the bag, etc., even the government workers who try to keep our food supplies safe. A meal becomes almost a song of praise to God for the beautiful system we have here in the US for food. Of course it's not flawless, but there are lots of people who work in beautiful concert to feed us, and saying thanks before a meal should encompass something greater than just being thankful that you are not hungry. Now, I don't necessarily go through that entire list of people in my mind every time I pray my thanks at mealtime, but I do try to be conscious and aware of how many people are involved in getting my food to the table, and I am grateful to them.
So tonight, as you sit down to your meal, offer up a little prayer of gratitude not only for the abundance of your food, but also for all the folks who get it to you. If you do this for the period of Lent, it will grow in your heart an appreciation for others who help to provide nourishment for your body, and this in turn, will nourish you on your spiritual journey.
With a grateful heart.
Teresa
Monday, February 18, 2008
What difference does Lent make?
So we've been focusing on some of the "tools" used during Lent to assist us in introspection about ourselves and our part in the global and universal good, but really, why does it matter? Can one person really make a difference in this world? You may be thinking, "Sure, if you are Mother Teresa or the president of the United States, or someone really important, but just the average person? Nah." Well, I disagree.
There have been a few people in my life who had a tremendously positive influence on me. I'm sure you can think of a few in your own life if you try. Sometimes I think about how my life might have gone if I had not had those people in my life, or if they had not been the positive and loving influences they've been, and I think I can say with confidence that the world would have been a very different place if those people had not interacted with me the way they did.
It's like a ripple effect in a still pond. If you toss a pebble in the middle of the pond, no matter how small the pebble, you'll see rings ripple out all across the surface of the pond. Fish are darting, tiny single-celled creatures are activated. Maybe one of those fish that darts away from the disturbance of the ripple sees an insect on the surface of the pond and eats it. The insect's life is forever changed! Maybe the insect is a mosquito. Since it was eaten, maybe it never bites the man standing by the pond. Maybe the mosquito carries West Nile virus. Since it never bites the man he doesn't get sick. I can continue, but I think you get the point. One person can and does make a difference in the life of others. We don't even always know how or what we do, but what we do matters. That's why it's so important to take an inventory of who we are and how we act with others, and to strive to be the best we can be all the time. Because you just never know.
I'll give you a for instance from my life. As a young wife several years ago, I was thrilled to find out that after months of trying, I was pregnant. However, things did not go well, and after a long hospitalitzation, I gave birth to a son who died very shortly thereafter. For weeks a young female minister from my church had been visiting me in the hospital. Sometimes she would just sit with me and we would talk about nothing really. Other times we would talk about my fears and frustrations with the pregnancy. She officiated my son's funeral on a cold, rainy December day - just me, my husband, and Louise. She said the only real words of comfort I had during that dark time in my life, and even though we would go our separate ways and it would be 15 years before our paths would cross again, she had a profound impact on my life without even being aware of it. When I graduated from Emory with a master's in theology, I wrote to tell her what she had meant to me, and to thank her. I am a minister today partly as the result of her influence. She had no idea. You just never know when your kindness, your patience, your advice, your listening skills, your donation of money, etc., are going to save a life or radically change a life.
That's why it's so important to keep a "holy Lent" where you give sincere and conscious effort to becoming the loving member of this world that God wants. You just never know.
Be blessed, and be a blessing to others.
Teresa
There have been a few people in my life who had a tremendously positive influence on me. I'm sure you can think of a few in your own life if you try. Sometimes I think about how my life might have gone if I had not had those people in my life, or if they had not been the positive and loving influences they've been, and I think I can say with confidence that the world would have been a very different place if those people had not interacted with me the way they did.
It's like a ripple effect in a still pond. If you toss a pebble in the middle of the pond, no matter how small the pebble, you'll see rings ripple out all across the surface of the pond. Fish are darting, tiny single-celled creatures are activated. Maybe one of those fish that darts away from the disturbance of the ripple sees an insect on the surface of the pond and eats it. The insect's life is forever changed! Maybe the insect is a mosquito. Since it was eaten, maybe it never bites the man standing by the pond. Maybe the mosquito carries West Nile virus. Since it never bites the man he doesn't get sick. I can continue, but I think you get the point. One person can and does make a difference in the life of others. We don't even always know how or what we do, but what we do matters. That's why it's so important to take an inventory of who we are and how we act with others, and to strive to be the best we can be all the time. Because you just never know.
I'll give you a for instance from my life. As a young wife several years ago, I was thrilled to find out that after months of trying, I was pregnant. However, things did not go well, and after a long hospitalitzation, I gave birth to a son who died very shortly thereafter. For weeks a young female minister from my church had been visiting me in the hospital. Sometimes she would just sit with me and we would talk about nothing really. Other times we would talk about my fears and frustrations with the pregnancy. She officiated my son's funeral on a cold, rainy December day - just me, my husband, and Louise. She said the only real words of comfort I had during that dark time in my life, and even though we would go our separate ways and it would be 15 years before our paths would cross again, she had a profound impact on my life without even being aware of it. When I graduated from Emory with a master's in theology, I wrote to tell her what she had meant to me, and to thank her. I am a minister today partly as the result of her influence. She had no idea. You just never know when your kindness, your patience, your advice, your listening skills, your donation of money, etc., are going to save a life or radically change a life.
That's why it's so important to keep a "holy Lent" where you give sincere and conscious effort to becoming the loving member of this world that God wants. You just never know.
Be blessed, and be a blessing to others.
Teresa
Friday, February 15, 2008
Flaws
So after we've taken our "fearless moral inventory" what happens when we discover those actions, prejudices, and character flaws? Lent is the time to really focus on developing new habits and becoming better people in order to make the world better. In this way, we participate in the Kingdom of God, which is another way of saying the world in which God intends for us to live.
Today, pick one thing you do and focus on it. Maybe you have a quick temper. Maybe you drive aggressively or will never let anyone cut in front of you. Maybe you overspend then lie to your spouse about it. Maybe you work too much and don't spend enough time with those you love. Maybe you are critical of others. Whatever it is you feel you would like to change, pick that one thing and focus the next month on just that. This is a fairly common way to approach a Lenten discipline. Be mindful about your focus and try to proactively stop yourself from doing the offending action. Many people feel it is helpful to wear a rubber band around their wrist as a reminder of their commitment to change. Others pick a specific time each day (say on the hour) to spend a moment reflecting on their goal in order to strengthen their resolve. Some have a small coin bank and put in a specific amount of money each time they do the offence then donate the money to the church or a charity at Easter. All of these tools work and are merely ways to reinforce our journey to our goal. And remember...what is our goal? Our goal is to remember Christ's sacrifice for us, to strive to become more like Christ, and to participate as fully as possible in being the people God designed us to be. Love ourselves, love others, and love God.
Lent is a focused time to work on becoming the beautiful loving creations that God intends.
Today, pick one thing you do and focus on it. Maybe you have a quick temper. Maybe you drive aggressively or will never let anyone cut in front of you. Maybe you overspend then lie to your spouse about it. Maybe you work too much and don't spend enough time with those you love. Maybe you are critical of others. Whatever it is you feel you would like to change, pick that one thing and focus the next month on just that. This is a fairly common way to approach a Lenten discipline. Be mindful about your focus and try to proactively stop yourself from doing the offending action. Many people feel it is helpful to wear a rubber band around their wrist as a reminder of their commitment to change. Others pick a specific time each day (say on the hour) to spend a moment reflecting on their goal in order to strengthen their resolve. Some have a small coin bank and put in a specific amount of money each time they do the offence then donate the money to the church or a charity at Easter. All of these tools work and are merely ways to reinforce our journey to our goal. And remember...what is our goal? Our goal is to remember Christ's sacrifice for us, to strive to become more like Christ, and to participate as fully as possible in being the people God designed us to be. Love ourselves, love others, and love God.
Lent is a focused time to work on becoming the beautiful loving creations that God intends.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Detours
I'm taking a detour on the Lenten Meditation road today. I want you to use this day to really spend some time in deep self-reflection to try to identify those issues we've been talking about for the past week. Write down at least 5 things you want to change about yourself, or 5 negative "scripts" you let dominate your thinking, then rank them, beginning with the one that you feel would change your life most down to the least significant one. After you've done this, find a quiet place, practice your deep breathing, close your eyes, then go down your list one by one starting at the top and ask God to bless you with a new strength and clarity of purpose as you spend the next month focusing on redirecting your energy toward a more positive world in which YOU contribute your best self, your most holy self, to love and peace. Try to do this at least 3 times today. And on this day when we celebrate "romantic" love, remember that you cannot fully participate in romantic love, love of neighbor, love of stranger, or love of God until you really love yourself. So, ask God to guide you on this path, then do something nice for YOURSELF today. You are part of God's beautiful and loving creation. Celebrate that today!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Old Scripts
Today we continue to look at how taking a "fearless moral inventory" is helpful during Lent. Until we come to terms with who we are and what we think and do that separates us from God and each other, we can't fully live the lives God intends for us.
Yesterday I mentioned that we all have old "scripts" in our minds, and that sometimes this interferes with us loving ourselves and others. This is often the most difficult part of taking a good look at ourselves. Some of us have scripts that are so powerful and so habitual that we can't really look at who we are, we just blindly accept what the script tells us. For example, I know a man who is intelligent, kind, and has great potential, but he made some serious mistakes in the past, and even as a small child his mother told him he was bad, and stupid, and selfish. Even though he's "learned" from his mistakes, he can't see past them and seems to review his old script, or self, in his mind. He still "sees" himself as that lost, destructive, mistake-making person who hurt his family and those he loved. He's in a sort of "arrested development" and it's holding him back from being the man he was designed by God to be.
I have those fights with myself too, but with different issues. We all do. Maybe you struggled with your weight as a child, or were a bed-wetter, or were bad in math, or someone told you once that you had no artistic ability, and you bought into that as your identity. Now, you almost feel as if you're "hiding" your true self from others, just pretending to be the "together, competent, professional, smart" or whatever other label you're assumed. Well maybe you really ARE that "together" person now. Maybe you need to let go of that old script that keeps you down.
There are some great therapies that can help you do this, and many have been helped through guided imagery and/or hypnosis, but you can start today, right now, by looking deeply into yourself and trying to identify those negative scripts you run in your head about yourself, and then finding some words of affirmation to counter them. One that I like to use is "God created me, and all of God's creation is good. I am a beautiful and loving part of God's creation." You come up with your own. Just remember to use it whenever you find yourself buying into the negative thoughts you have about yourself. Thoughts and words are powerful. Try to keep your thoughts and words positive and affirming, both to yourself and to others. Make this part of your Lenten practice. Try being only affirming and positive from now until Easter and I can almost guarantee it will change the way you interact with the world.
Tomorrow we take a different turn and discuss how to deal with those truly negative attributes and actions we have. What if your moral inventory reveals to you that you behave in ways that are hurtful to those around you, or even to yourself? What then?
Wishing you a blessed and holy Lent.
Yesterday I mentioned that we all have old "scripts" in our minds, and that sometimes this interferes with us loving ourselves and others. This is often the most difficult part of taking a good look at ourselves. Some of us have scripts that are so powerful and so habitual that we can't really look at who we are, we just blindly accept what the script tells us. For example, I know a man who is intelligent, kind, and has great potential, but he made some serious mistakes in the past, and even as a small child his mother told him he was bad, and stupid, and selfish. Even though he's "learned" from his mistakes, he can't see past them and seems to review his old script, or self, in his mind. He still "sees" himself as that lost, destructive, mistake-making person who hurt his family and those he loved. He's in a sort of "arrested development" and it's holding him back from being the man he was designed by God to be.
I have those fights with myself too, but with different issues. We all do. Maybe you struggled with your weight as a child, or were a bed-wetter, or were bad in math, or someone told you once that you had no artistic ability, and you bought into that as your identity. Now, you almost feel as if you're "hiding" your true self from others, just pretending to be the "together, competent, professional, smart" or whatever other label you're assumed. Well maybe you really ARE that "together" person now. Maybe you need to let go of that old script that keeps you down.
There are some great therapies that can help you do this, and many have been helped through guided imagery and/or hypnosis, but you can start today, right now, by looking deeply into yourself and trying to identify those negative scripts you run in your head about yourself, and then finding some words of affirmation to counter them. One that I like to use is "God created me, and all of God's creation is good. I am a beautiful and loving part of God's creation." You come up with your own. Just remember to use it whenever you find yourself buying into the negative thoughts you have about yourself. Thoughts and words are powerful. Try to keep your thoughts and words positive and affirming, both to yourself and to others. Make this part of your Lenten practice. Try being only affirming and positive from now until Easter and I can almost guarantee it will change the way you interact with the world.
Tomorrow we take a different turn and discuss how to deal with those truly negative attributes and actions we have. What if your moral inventory reveals to you that you behave in ways that are hurtful to those around you, or even to yourself? What then?
Wishing you a blessed and holy Lent.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Looking Deeply
So today we continue to look at how we take a "fearless moral inventory" of our lives in order to remove those obstacles that keep us from being the people God intends us to be.
As I mentioned yesterday, this idea of an inventory is borrowed from AA's 12-Step Program (but has strong scriptural roots!). Here is what the Big Book says:
"A business which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking commercial inventory is a fact-finding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock-in-trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values. We did exactly the same thing with our lives. We took stock honestly. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being convinced that self, manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations." -A.A. Big Book p.64
That has always been a powerful bit of writing to me. What we must ask ourselves, I think, is do we underestimate who we are or overestimate who we are? Do we magnify every character (and physical) flaw, or do we minimize our shortcomings? And do we even have the ability to know which we do? In other words, are we lying TO ourselves ABOUT ourselves? That's where the fearless moral inventory comes in. Lent is a great time to really search our souls, to look deeply inside ourselves and honestly assess who we are. Sometimes we don't like what we see. Other times we may discover that because of old scripts in our minds, we're unnecessarily hard on ourselves. This moral inventory is critical to starting to love ourselves, and to target specific traits we wish to improve. It's also a time to really understand God's grace and mercy. God loves us in spite of our flaws and foibles, but also enables us to become better through the life, teachings, example, and grace of Christ.
One good way to begin this moral inventory is to set aside at least 10-15 minutes each day to spend in meditation. Begin by finding a quiet and comfortable spot, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep! Take some deep, calming breaths. Close your eyes. (For an excellent article on breathing, go to http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART00521.) Then just spend some quiet time with yourself. If your mind wanders to other people or circumstances, dismiss those thoughts and bring your mind back around to yourself. Really try to look at your actions, your attitudes, and your emotions and begin to look at those parts of yourself that you feel need some work. Do this each morning for the first couple of weeks of Lent. During the day, be intentional about your actions and reactions. If you become angry or sad or frustrated or irritated or judgmental, stop, take a breath, and ask yourself if you are manifesting the person you want to be, your best self, the creation that God intends you to be, full of love for self, for God, and for others. And remember, you can't control anyone else, but you can control your own actions and reactions.
Lastly, before you go to sleep at night, ask God to reveal to you God's love for you so that you can show that love to yourself and to others.
As I mentioned yesterday, this idea of an inventory is borrowed from AA's 12-Step Program (but has strong scriptural roots!). Here is what the Big Book says:
"A business which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking commercial inventory is a fact-finding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock-in-trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values. We did exactly the same thing with our lives. We took stock honestly. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being convinced that self, manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations." -A.A. Big Book p.64
That has always been a powerful bit of writing to me. What we must ask ourselves, I think, is do we underestimate who we are or overestimate who we are? Do we magnify every character (and physical) flaw, or do we minimize our shortcomings? And do we even have the ability to know which we do? In other words, are we lying TO ourselves ABOUT ourselves? That's where the fearless moral inventory comes in. Lent is a great time to really search our souls, to look deeply inside ourselves and honestly assess who we are. Sometimes we don't like what we see. Other times we may discover that because of old scripts in our minds, we're unnecessarily hard on ourselves. This moral inventory is critical to starting to love ourselves, and to target specific traits we wish to improve. It's also a time to really understand God's grace and mercy. God loves us in spite of our flaws and foibles, but also enables us to become better through the life, teachings, example, and grace of Christ.
One good way to begin this moral inventory is to set aside at least 10-15 minutes each day to spend in meditation. Begin by finding a quiet and comfortable spot, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep! Take some deep, calming breaths. Close your eyes. (For an excellent article on breathing, go to http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART00521.) Then just spend some quiet time with yourself. If your mind wanders to other people or circumstances, dismiss those thoughts and bring your mind back around to yourself. Really try to look at your actions, your attitudes, and your emotions and begin to look at those parts of yourself that you feel need some work. Do this each morning for the first couple of weeks of Lent. During the day, be intentional about your actions and reactions. If you become angry or sad or frustrated or irritated or judgmental, stop, take a breath, and ask yourself if you are manifesting the person you want to be, your best self, the creation that God intends you to be, full of love for self, for God, and for others. And remember, you can't control anyone else, but you can control your own actions and reactions.
Lastly, before you go to sleep at night, ask God to reveal to you God's love for you so that you can show that love to yourself and to others.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Lent-Fearless Moral Inventory
One of the traditions of the Twelve Step Program in AA is to take a “fearless moral inventory” of your life. I think this is something everyone should do on a regular basis, and Lent is the perfect time to do so.
What does it mean, exactly, to take this “fearless moral inventory”? I suggest setting aside 20 minutes each morning or last thing at night to really spend some time with yourself, looking at who you are and what you want to change about yourself. Some things might be obvious. For instance, I have an ongoing challenge being patient. I don’t have to look very deeply into myself to know that I am not a patient person with others or with myself. I know this is something I need to work on changing. And, in moments when I forget this, I have two very bright and articulate children who remind me! You may have something obvious like this in your life. Maybe you are quick to anger, or maybe you overspend your budget (or don’t HAVE a budget!) on a regular basis, or maybe you eat for comfort, or…you get the idea. Lent is an excellent time to really take stock of those areas of your life that need to be addressed.
But maybe some of the work you need to do lies underneath the obvious. Maybe impatience and irritability are symptoms of an underlying medical or psychological issue that should be addressed. Maybe the overspending or overeating are things you do to seek comfort because of a broken relationship or a poor self-image. Maybe the procrastination about cleaning out your closet is grounded in financial insecurity, or selfishness, or fear. Lent is the time when we look deeply and honestly at ourselves and identify those areas where we know there is work left undone.
A “fearless moral inventory” is when we really look at who we are and ask ourselves if we are the people that God created us to be. God created us to love ourselves, to love each other, and to love God. What in your life is standing in the way of this love?
Tomorrow we will explore specific ways to take this inventory and begin to work through the issues and challenges that keep us from being the loving creations that God intends.
(p.s. I’ve been called to jury duty this week, so please bear with me. I’ll either have time to write a lot everyday because I’m sitting in the assembly room, or be running behind on everything because I’ve been seated on a jury!)
What does it mean, exactly, to take this “fearless moral inventory”? I suggest setting aside 20 minutes each morning or last thing at night to really spend some time with yourself, looking at who you are and what you want to change about yourself. Some things might be obvious. For instance, I have an ongoing challenge being patient. I don’t have to look very deeply into myself to know that I am not a patient person with others or with myself. I know this is something I need to work on changing. And, in moments when I forget this, I have two very bright and articulate children who remind me! You may have something obvious like this in your life. Maybe you are quick to anger, or maybe you overspend your budget (or don’t HAVE a budget!) on a regular basis, or maybe you eat for comfort, or…you get the idea. Lent is an excellent time to really take stock of those areas of your life that need to be addressed.
But maybe some of the work you need to do lies underneath the obvious. Maybe impatience and irritability are symptoms of an underlying medical or psychological issue that should be addressed. Maybe the overspending or overeating are things you do to seek comfort because of a broken relationship or a poor self-image. Maybe the procrastination about cleaning out your closet is grounded in financial insecurity, or selfishness, or fear. Lent is the time when we look deeply and honestly at ourselves and identify those areas where we know there is work left undone.
A “fearless moral inventory” is when we really look at who we are and ask ourselves if we are the people that God created us to be. God created us to love ourselves, to love each other, and to love God. What in your life is standing in the way of this love?
Tomorrow we will explore specific ways to take this inventory and begin to work through the issues and challenges that keep us from being the loving creations that God intends.
(p.s. I’ve been called to jury duty this week, so please bear with me. I’ll either have time to write a lot everyday because I’m sitting in the assembly room, or be running behind on everything because I’ve been seated on a jury!)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Purple?
The Christian calendar is divided into seasons with accompanying feasts, observances, and colors. This is usually referred to as a liturgical year. Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary as well, which runs in 3 year cycles (years A, B, and C) and provides a systematic way of approaching scripture for use in teachings, devotionals, and other applications. (More on this when I do my blog on the lectionary!) You may notice when passing some churches this time of year that there is a cross outside draped in purple fabric. Purple is the traditional color for Lent. Purple symbolizes royalty and is a recognition of the unique person of Jesus as God incarnate, "king" and long-awaited Messiah-the Christ. Purple is also a symbol for the pain and suffering of Jesus in the time leading up to his crucifixion and also calls us to recognize the suffering of humanity.
Many churches also use purple vestments (garments worn by clergy) and paraments (fabric used in altar arrangements on lecturns, pulpits, and the altar table) during Lent.
Later in the season, just before Easter, the purple is replaced with either black or gray. I will explain more about this later, but if you are able, please plan to attend a Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) or Tenebrae service and witness this dramatic and very moving service. More on this later.
Many churches also use purple vestments (garments worn by clergy) and paraments (fabric used in altar arrangements on lecturns, pulpits, and the altar table) during Lent.
Later in the season, just before Easter, the purple is replaced with either black or gray. I will explain more about this later, but if you are able, please plan to attend a Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) or Tenebrae service and witness this dramatic and very moving service. More on this later.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Fasting
Many people focus on prayer, fasting, and giving to charities, or almsgiving, during Lent. For most, fasting takes the form of "giving up" a particular food or treat, such as meat, alcohol, candy and sweets, etc. For some people, fasting is both a constant reminder that we are preparing for Easter, and also a way to, in some very small way, participate in suffering. But fasting has merit and value that can be profound.
I think fasting, in some form, is a very valuable spiritual practice, during Lent and all year. Some recent studies have shown that fasting one day a month is even good for your health. (Click here for a CNN article on fasting and heart health.) Given our heavy Western diet, taking a day off here and there and letting our bodies rest seems wise. Given the increased energy it takes to produce meat, it seems that abstaining from eating meat once a week (or more) is an easy way to stand in solidarity with the poor and hungry. If you donate the money you save from a weekly or monthly fast (or abstinance from meat) to your local food bank or world hunger organization, you can and will make a significant difference in feeding the hungry. So, fasting is good for you as an individual, good for the world, and acts as a reminder of the suffering of Jesus as well as bringing you in concert with the suffering of others in the world.
So during the next days leading up to Easter, I encourage you to integrate some form of fasting into your daily life. And when you do eat, really think about where your food comes from and feel gratitude for the farmers and other laborers who grow your food and deliver it to you. When you deny yourself something you really want, stop and take a moment to remember that there are people across the world, and right in your community, who are consistently and chronically hungry, and consider a donation of food or money to the food bank.
I have found that fasting can be healing, challenging, and personally transforming. I hope you will explore this wonderful spiritual practice.
If you want to know more about fasting and how to fast safely, please click here for an excellent article from Vanderbilt University on fasting which includes some great links.
I think fasting, in some form, is a very valuable spiritual practice, during Lent and all year. Some recent studies have shown that fasting one day a month is even good for your health. (Click here for a CNN article on fasting and heart health.) Given our heavy Western diet, taking a day off here and there and letting our bodies rest seems wise. Given the increased energy it takes to produce meat, it seems that abstaining from eating meat once a week (or more) is an easy way to stand in solidarity with the poor and hungry. If you donate the money you save from a weekly or monthly fast (or abstinance from meat) to your local food bank or world hunger organization, you can and will make a significant difference in feeding the hungry. So, fasting is good for you as an individual, good for the world, and acts as a reminder of the suffering of Jesus as well as bringing you in concert with the suffering of others in the world.
So during the next days leading up to Easter, I encourage you to integrate some form of fasting into your daily life. And when you do eat, really think about where your food comes from and feel gratitude for the farmers and other laborers who grow your food and deliver it to you. When you deny yourself something you really want, stop and take a moment to remember that there are people across the world, and right in your community, who are consistently and chronically hungry, and consider a donation of food or money to the food bank.
I have found that fasting can be healing, challenging, and personally transforming. I hope you will explore this wonderful spiritual practice.
If you want to know more about fasting and how to fast safely, please click here for an excellent article from Vanderbilt University on fasting which includes some great links.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Why 40 Days?
The season of Lent spans a 40 day period beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending the Saturday before Easter. Now, if you're astute about the calendar, you may realize that there are more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter! That's because the 6 Sundays that occur during this time are not counted. (That's why you may hear a reference to the Sundays in Lent, rather than the Sundays of Lent.)
40 is also just a very significant number in biblical literature. For instance, scriptures tells us that Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness struggling with temptation, before the Great Flood it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, etc. What I also find significant is that most personal trainers, psychologists, and coaches will tell you that it takes between 30 and 40 days (give or take a few) to "re-train" yourself in a new habit. So, if you decide to eat healthier, or start exercising, or commit to floss your teeth every day, it takes somewhere around 40 days to really get that routine ingrained in your life. So when we commit to a spiritual habit for 40 days, we may actually be able to integrate that into ourselves in a meaningful and significant way.
Next time, I'll talk about some of the things that people "give up" or "take on" for Lent, and how they can be excellent tools for the transformation of our lives.
40 is also just a very significant number in biblical literature. For instance, scriptures tells us that Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness struggling with temptation, before the Great Flood it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, etc. What I also find significant is that most personal trainers, psychologists, and coaches will tell you that it takes between 30 and 40 days (give or take a few) to "re-train" yourself in a new habit. So, if you decide to eat healthier, or start exercising, or commit to floss your teeth every day, it takes somewhere around 40 days to really get that routine ingrained in your life. So when we commit to a spiritual habit for 40 days, we may actually be able to integrate that into ourselves in a meaningful and significant way.
Next time, I'll talk about some of the things that people "give up" or "take on" for Lent, and how they can be excellent tools for the transformation of our lives.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Lent-Ash Wednesday
Today is the first day of the season of Lent. There is a good bit of confusion about what Lent is, so over the next 40 days leading up to Easter, I will share with you some of the history of Lent, but more importantly, I will offer you some suggestions about how to observe Lent and why I think it's important. I will make these musings brief, and encourage you to send me any questions you may have.
Lent originated in the 4th century, and was initially a time for people who were to be baptized at Easter to prepare for their baptism. Since baptism is an act of introduction into a community of faith, (more on this when I do my series on baptism!), the entire community was called to this "time of preparation." Additionally, those people who had been removed from the fellowship of the church (for a number of reasons that are not particularly important for us to get into at this time) were also called to this time of self-examination, prayer, fasting, and introspection before their re-introduction to the church.
Many of you know that today is Ash Wednesday, and you may see people walking around with black marks on their foreheads! Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and the ashes symbolize our humility before God, and our recognition that we are mortal. It is a time when we reflect on what we need to change in our lives in order to be the person that God intends us to be, to live responsibly and lovingly as a member of the created world. I hope you'll join me as we look more deeply at the observance of Lent over the next 40 days, take a fearless moral inventory of our lives, and look for ways to find more love, peace, and fulfillment in our lives. I look forward to making this journey with each of you.
Lent originated in the 4th century, and was initially a time for people who were to be baptized at Easter to prepare for their baptism. Since baptism is an act of introduction into a community of faith, (more on this when I do my series on baptism!), the entire community was called to this "time of preparation." Additionally, those people who had been removed from the fellowship of the church (for a number of reasons that are not particularly important for us to get into at this time) were also called to this time of self-examination, prayer, fasting, and introspection before their re-introduction to the church.
Many of you know that today is Ash Wednesday, and you may see people walking around with black marks on their foreheads! Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and the ashes symbolize our humility before God, and our recognition that we are mortal. It is a time when we reflect on what we need to change in our lives in order to be the person that God intends us to be, to live responsibly and lovingly as a member of the created world. I hope you'll join me as we look more deeply at the observance of Lent over the next 40 days, take a fearless moral inventory of our lives, and look for ways to find more love, peace, and fulfillment in our lives. I look forward to making this journey with each of you.
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