Isaiah 55:6-11
Whenever I read this passage it brings wonderful memories of the Weston Priory Monks. Their voices raised in song in a barn on top of a hill, the grounds speaking to the innermost part of my being, calling me to stillness. Visiting the monks there is a gift for sure, their voices, their prayers, there connectedness to the soil and the landscape all contribute to an intensely spiritual experience.
But that seems somewhat unrealistic for the vast majority of us that live in a suburban, if not urban world in jobs that require time clocks, commuting and tight schedules of minutiae.
Once again I cannot help but be reminded during this Lenten season of what we are called to do. Drop guilt off, check; give up 'something' for Lent, check. But as God is far above us in every conceivable way, he is as close as our heart and closer still. God became man in Jesus our Lord and savior. Jesus showed us the way to holiness, He showed us how to live. He showed us to live as a human.
Jesus interacted, conversed, healed and hung out with all kinds of people. We've heard it before I know, but we really do need to be ourselves, respect ourselves and be exactly who God made us to be. We are not Gods. With all the things we might want to do in Lent, embracing ourselves as fully human is probably the most challenging, the most rewarding and admittedly will take longer than one Lenten season.
Let's look at it another way. Think of a tree that grows big and tall. When it is felled and we count the rings, we can see just how many (lenten) seasons it has been growing. It did not become a giant tree overnight. And when we look at each and every ring we can see some years were lean due to drought while other seasons were marked with great growth due to abundant water. This is the cycle of life. We are no less a part of it.
Just as a tree embraces being a tree, embraces being what it is meant t be, so are we called to grow into what we are called to be by God. It may take many lenten seasons but for sure, make this one count. Nourish yourself spiritually, appreciate who you are and communicate love with God and everyone around you.
Whenever I read this passage it brings wonderful memories of the Weston Priory Monks. Their voices raised in song in a barn on top of a hill, the grounds speaking to the innermost part of my being, calling me to stillness. Visiting the monks there is a gift for sure, their voices, their prayers, there connectedness to the soil and the landscape all contribute to an intensely spiritual experience.
But that seems somewhat unrealistic for the vast majority of us that live in a suburban, if not urban world in jobs that require time clocks, commuting and tight schedules of minutiae.
Once again I cannot help but be reminded during this Lenten season of what we are called to do. Drop guilt off, check; give up 'something' for Lent, check. But as God is far above us in every conceivable way, he is as close as our heart and closer still. God became man in Jesus our Lord and savior. Jesus showed us the way to holiness, He showed us how to live. He showed us to live as a human.
Jesus interacted, conversed, healed and hung out with all kinds of people. We've heard it before I know, but we really do need to be ourselves, respect ourselves and be exactly who God made us to be. We are not Gods. With all the things we might want to do in Lent, embracing ourselves as fully human is probably the most challenging, the most rewarding and admittedly will take longer than one Lenten season.
Let's look at it another way. Think of a tree that grows big and tall. When it is felled and we count the rings, we can see just how many (lenten) seasons it has been growing. It did not become a giant tree overnight. And when we look at each and every ring we can see some years were lean due to drought while other seasons were marked with great growth due to abundant water. This is the cycle of life. We are no less a part of it.
Just as a tree embraces being a tree, embraces being what it is meant t be, so are we called to grow into what we are called to be by God. It may take many lenten seasons but for sure, make this one count. Nourish yourself spiritually, appreciate who you are and communicate love with God and everyone around you.
Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
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