The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
Our Lenten season has now begun
It has been a long, yet fulfilling day
Spending time after a wonderful dinner
Snuggling with my sweetheart and our sweet puppy
As the cold rain falls, we pray for those suffering without heat, water, or electricity
Sending love, hugs, and prayers to our friends who are family
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
As we gathered for worship over Zoom this evening, I reflected how different Ash Wednesday 2021 was from Ash Wednesday 2020. We have gone through quite a wilderness experience that has lasted a lot longer than 40 days.
In 2020 we experienced so many lows as the pandemic roared across this nation and world like a tsunami. In the midst of such turmoil (pandemic and politics) it was often difficult to see the light and keep the hope alive. In 2021 we are hopeful despite not knowing the exact future (my crystal ball is broken). Outdoor worship with masks and physical distancing helps to safely connect us.
In 2021 I believe that we are being called to walk together on the road to God’s Shalom. For years Lent has been a time to “give up” something. In the past few years I have begun to see Lent as an opportunity to go deeper and meet God in the midst of the wilderness. In that meeting, that time of reflection I was offered a time to renew my strength and refocus my faith.
As this Lenten journey begins, my prayer is that lives can be transformed. My prayer is that this journey will lead us to hope, to justice, to peace, to mercy.
Thomas Merton talked about such a transformation in an 1958 essay, “Ash Wednesday” which was later published in his book Seasons of Celebration (p. 94).
Fear narrows the little entrance of our heart. It shrinks up our capacity to love. It freezes up our power to give ourselves. If we were terrified of God as an inexorable judge, we would not confidently await His mercy, or approach Him trustfully in prayer. Our peace, our joy in Lent are a guarantee of grace.
In laying upon us the light cross of ashes, the Church desires to take off our shoulders all other heavy burdens — the crushing load of worry and obsessive guilt, the dead weight of our own self-love. We should not take upon ourselves a ‘burden’ of penance and stagger into Lent as if we were Atlas, carrying the whole world on his shoulders... It (penance) is only a burden to those who take it up unwillingly. Love makes it light and happy. And that is another reason why Ash Wednesday is filled with the lightness of love.
Dear reader, will you join me in this Lenten journey as walk together towards God’s Shalom and as we share God’s love?
“All of us know that our beautiful green planet is in danger. Our way of walking on the Earth has a great influence on animals and plants. Yet we act as if our daily lives have nothing to do with the condition of the world. We are like sleepwalkers, not knowing what we are doing or where we are heading. The future of all life, including our own, depends on our mindful steps. We have to hear the bells of mindfulness that are sounding all across our planet. We have to start learning how to live in a way that a future will be possible for our children and our grandchildren.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
Verse of the day All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. – Ecclesiastes 3:20
Voice of the day
Yet we are dust in the loving hands of God, who has breathed his spirit of life upon each one of us, and still wants to do so. – Pope Francis
Prayer of the day Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are repentant. Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. – Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer
I have been a part of Christine and John Valters Paintner’s online Abbey of the Arts (https://abbeyofthearts.com) for a good number of years. It has been my privilege to take online courses with Christine and to be a member of the Abbey’s Wisdom Council. I was honored to play a small role in the Abbey’s retreat, A Midwinter God: Making A Conscious Underworld Journey. Christine’s latest book is yet another gem in the world of spiritual nurture and exploration. Savoring “Sacred Time” is like attending one of her online retreats. The combination of reflections (including John Valters Paintner’s biblical reflections in each chapter) and invitations to experience new spiritual practices along with meditations and prayer experiences each week is indeed a mini-retreat that you can follow at your own pace. “Sacred Time: Embracing an Intentional Way of Life” could not have come at a more appropriate time as the worldwide pandemic continues. I can’t encourage you enough to give yourself a treat and savor this book/retreat at this time. You can also come back as often as you wish to savor particular portions or even the entire retreat when your spiritual well needs refreshment.
Christine is the author of thirteen other books on Celtic/Benedictine spirituality, including two books of poetry. Her books can be found on https://www.amazon.com, https://www.avemariapress.com, https://bookshop.org, or your local independent bookseller.
“It’s no longer good enough to wring our hands and fret about the multiple crises we face. We must become informed, speak out, vote, hold our politicians to account, join forces. We must demonstrate the power of compassion and love, of hope and courage, over the forces that are trying to keep us on a suicidal road that benefits a minority at the expense not just of most of humanity, but of all the living beings that share this fragile planet.”—David Suzuki
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
Another long day of work and studying
As the temperature dips and black ice is forecasted
We think of all of our friends and family who are being hit by bitter cold temperatures and snow
For those who are in the eye of this storm we pray
For those around the country who have no place to go we pray
For all of the animals out in the cold we pray
Lord in your mercy, provide shelter, warmth, safety, and nourishment
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
A wonderful review of Tom Sine and Dwight J. Friesen’s book, 2020s Foresight. Especially during these “interesting” times in the midst of a pandemic, Tom and Dwight offer a hope-filled vision for looking forward in new and exciting ways! I am very grateful for Tom and his wife Christine’s encouragement and friendship.
Jerry Seinfeld could teach the church a thing or two about innovation. When asked by the Harvard Business Review how he got the idea for “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” Seinfeld said: “It’s very important to know what you don’t like. A big part of innovation is saying, ‘You know what I’m really sick of?’ For me, that was talk shows where music plays, somebody walks out to a desk, shakes hands with the host, and sits down. … ‘What am I really sick of’ is where innovation begins.” …read further at https://pres-outlook.org/2021/01/2020s-foresight-three-vital-practices-for-thriving-in-a-decade-of-accelerating-change/
Tom and Dwight’s book can be ordered on Amazon at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1506464866/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=godspacelig08-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1506464866&linkId=b5aa27368d1250faffbf3ca245b1314f
“Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something, everyone must play a part, everyone’s got to go to work, work for peace.”—Gil Scott-Heron
| Verse of the day Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:10 |
| Voice of the day “Love thy neighbor” is a precept which could transform the world if it were universally practiced. – Mary McLeod Bethune |
| Prayer of the day Lord, creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth. Deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you. – Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer |
