Lenten Journey: In the belly of the beast

     I read a posting on Facebook yesterday that asked one of those annoying questions, like who were you in a past life? What colour are you? answer these questions; What kind of animal are you, answer these questions. Today it was this: let us analyze your profile and we'll tell you what Bible character you are. I was Noah. Go figure. I was hoping for Jonathan or David, that wonderful gay couple from Hebrew Scripture, whose passage was read when my husband and I asked for God's blessing and we consecrated our lives to each other. We got married! The character I think it should have been was Jonah. Jonah, swallowed by the whale. Jonah who set out in Ninevah in today's passage to warn the citizens to repent. Jonah who had the ability to live life, see where he had been, reflect, repent and move forward in faith.

      Truth be told, I have always been a person of faith. Perhaps a blessing, perhaps the result of some very good nuns and Priests and certainly my attempt to seek wholeness when I knew I was an odd duck, unlike everyone else, gay. Of course I didn't realize the gay thing until much later in life but I knew I was different and sought God as an ally, a guide on my path to wholeness.  Perhaps God is my wholeness.

      The life that ensued had so many vast experiences, all graced by God. What also came after a well lived and experienced life was perspective, not unlike Jonah had.

       Whatever "the belly of the whale" is to you or me, it is an opportunity for perspective and an opportunity to move forward in faith.  This perspective does not come from barreling through life and break neck speed, never slowing down and looking only toward the goal line of life. We must slow down, make a pit stop, evaluate, discern, learn and grow. Perhaps adjust our course. Isn't that what Lent is?

        The key is to take the time out. We are called to stop and reflect. If you are reading this blog for Lent, you are taking at least a little time out. Now you need to set aside time to reflect about yourself and your life. Have you been in the belly of the beast? What can you learn about moving forward by stopping to look back?

        As always in faith, we move forward into the unknown. Perhaps that's what faith is. But our guide should be clear as it has always been for me. I still do not know where I am going specifically. Life has taken some pretty wild turns, turns in my life I never ever would or could have imagined. The ride has been splendid, the ride is joyous and magnificent. I am blessed.  Still, I do not know where specifically I am headed.
I do know that it all makes no sense unless I reflect and move forward in faith and hope and love. My true Lenten / lifelong journey.