Continue steadfastly in prayer;
Colossians 4:2
being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
It is hard to believe but the season of Lent is almost upon us! Lent is an opportunity to experience the full journey of Christ to the Cross and beyond. Easter is not an event in isolation, and celebrating Easter is much richer and more meaningful when we give ourselves over to intentionally walking with Christ through Lent and into the season of Easter to follow.
Most people associate Lent with fasting, giving something up or depriving yourself of something you desire. I invite you this year to focus more on how what you give up frees you to fill that space with God. For instance, if you give up a favorite food, consider setting aside the money you would have spent on that food and giving it instead to support a program working to alleviate hunger. If you give up time spent on social media or watching a favorite television program, consider dedicating that time instead to prayer or spending time with scripture.
An alternative to giving something up would be to take on a practice that draws you closer to God. During this holy season of Lent, Chaplain Dwight and I encourage you to take on a commitment to strengthen the spiritual discipline of prayer. Henri Nouwen, world-renowned spiritual guide, wrote, “Prayer is not something that comes naturally or easily. It is something that requires learning and discipline.” De-veloping a rich and fruitful prayer life takes work and intentionality. Let’s do that hard work together by dedicating ourselves to A Season of Prayer. There will be many opportunities for us to strengthen our prayer life, beginning with signing up to participate in a weekly prayer workshop with Chaplain Dwight. I invite you to join me in committing to following the Lenten prayer calendar you’ll receive in your community mailbox and by participating in the many opportunities to learn more about prayer practices. Everywhere you turn, there will be prayer during this holy season!
I look forward to learning and growing with you through the season of Lent. I know that if we do the hard work of surrendering ourselves to the Holy Spirit and committing to be a praying community, our hearts will be transformed, and we will be empowered to transform the world around us. May your season of Lent be holy and may our hearts grow closer to God and to each other.
