Another Word About Lent

If you buy the last post, that we can use this season to observe the wonderful working of God in our lives, then let me again enumerate the many ways we have available here at St. Helen to avail ourselves to God’s workings. Centerpiece: the parish mini retreat - Burn In Me, March 13 from 9-1. Father Satish will be the instrument of God in leading us to open ourselves to that fire of God’s presence in our lives. If someone said to you,

How do you experience the presence of God in your life?

Could you answer? But our Catholic faith tells us that God is active in us at every moment. Can we name the presence? By our acknowledgment, do we give that presence power to change us? This retreat is meant to help heighten our awareness of God’s constant interaction, constant beckoning, in our lives. Additionally: the Soup and Bread Suppers, Stations of the Cross, Penance Services, Evensong, Jubilee Singers, Black Books, Daily Mass, Scrutinies, Eucharistic Adoration. The toolbox is full; use the season well

Lent - Again??

Lent has never been a favorite season of mine; in fact, I dread Lent! What's so great about fasting and abstaining anyway?? I just can't wait to get to the end - that's been my one and only goal. I've done a lot of naval gazing when it came to Lent, groaning and gasping, but I have a new perspective this year. I'm refocusing on what God may do in me, rather than what I'm doing for God, and I already feel lighter - I already feel some sense of anticipation. I've been sensible in my resolutions, having decided the why of each. There's purpose in this. Hopefully, there will be spiritual growth in this. For all of you who have always appreciated the six weeks beyond the display of ashes, I applaud you for getting Lent. But if you've been a dreader like I, maybe this year we both can finally rejoice in the gracious mercy of a loving God, and properly refocus this Lenten desert experience.

I’ve had some time to read in the past few weeks and have found some interesting titles: The Help (Kathryn Stockett), Let the Great World Spin (Colum McCann), Push (Sapphire). All three books centered on the very different stories of their characters – black maids in the 60’s South, prostitutes, a religious social activist, a judge and his grieving Upper East Side society wife, a socially and sexually abused teen. I was so intrigued by the very different lives into which these stories invited me, by the personally foreign manifestations of God which I encountered. I began to wonder at how much lost opportunity there is in my life to know the living God more fully through people all about me – family, coworkers, neighbors, parishioners. If only there were comfortable places to share such intimacies without dis-ease. The dance of life continues all around us – God’s interaction with humankind. May I, may we, be so attuned to the presence of God in the story of other that we allow time and space for its unfolding.