Lynn Ungar and Howard Thurman make me reflect upon two things: What to give up for Lent and the reality that even now this can be a season of promise.
Lent
What will you give up for the season,
To help life along
In its curious reversals?
As if we had a choice.
As if the world were not
Constantly shedding us
Like feathers off a duck’s back –
The ground is always littered with our longings.
You can’t help but wonder
About all the heroes,
The lives sacrificed
In the compulsion toward the good.
All those who dropped themselves
Upon the earth’s hard surface –
Weren’t they caught in pure astonishment
In the breath before they shattered?
Forget sacrifice.
Nothing is tied so firmly that the wind
Won’t tear it from us at last.
The question is how to remain faithful
To all the impossible,
Necessary resurrections.
–by Lynn Ungar
Listen to the Long Stillness
“Listen to the long stillness:
New life is stirring
New dreams are on the wing
New hopes are being readied:
Humankind is fashioning a new heart
Humankind is forging a new mind
God is at work.
This is the season of Promise.”
–quote by Howard Thurman
As a pastor, during this Lenten Season, I am definitely being called to some fasting, and some stripping aside of patterns and habits that have not been life-giving. I am longing for some simplification as my days are fuller than usual. Still and all I’m looking for some tangible results regarding promises I’ve made to myself for a long time.
One of those promises I’ve made is to lose weight. In my sermon preached at VCEC on February 7 (btw what a joy it was to preach at ‘home’ again!) I listed a goal to lose at least 10 lbs. during Lent. This involves new habits but also some accountability. I’ve asked several partners to join me, but as a community, I’m inviting you to follow me on my journey on social media (see image below). I’ll be posting my progress and invite you to give me encouragement.
Naturally, I’ll also be spending more time with the Lord and making it a point to engage in replenishment practices. Most importantly I’ll be returning to a practice of preaching at VCEC bi-weekly as we begin our series Journey with Jesus. I hope you can join us or at least pray that the Holy Spirit is present with us as we begin this new Sermon Series.
Finally I’ll be praying specifically for all of you at East Campus, that you will be richly blessed, your families kept safe and healthy, and we will continue our evolvement into the Beloved Community of disciples God has designed us to be.
These are some of my Lenten reflections.
What are the practices you are committing to for the Lenten season? Feel free to write to me and share, I’d love to hear from you!
Belovedly,
Pastor CAMjr
