Wilderness Journey
February 14, 2021
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I remember during the 1980s when a number of my friends became a little obsessed with "detoxing" their bodies of the effects of fast food and improper diet. They drank certain teas and took certain supplements that were alleged to remove the residual toxic effects of modern living and to restore the body's natural balances. I myself tried a few "juice fasts" to achieve the same sort of physical homeostasis--only to feel much the same at the end of the so-called detoxing process. Pseudo-scientific claims aside, Lent is a period when we try to detox our spirits: we set aside the things that we know are not in our highest good and choose good things that we know are lacking--acts of caring, more attentive prayer, and a more open attitude toward God's will for us.
Like the physical detox process, the spiritual detox, too, can bring aches and flu like symptoms. If we're serious about our Lenten journey, we may find ourselves feeling fatigued and even sad, as if we might be coming down with something. This is a natural part of any cleansing process and commonly accompanies deep inner-work. As we are called to examine our attitudes and actions, which often prompts deep changes, our bodies and spirits may grow tired. Feeling under the weather is one cue that it's time to slow down and do some self-care. There is a time to push through, and there is a time to pull back. Part of our ongoing challenge as Christians is to learn to listen to our inner divine selves as we discern what needs to happen next.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a 40 day fast/detox that will carry us to another celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. The sorrowful purple of Lent is again seen in our churches as the whole Church Universal comes together to remember the saving acts of Jesus. In other words, the time of journeying into the wilderness is upon us once again. We are already incomparably beautiful in God's sight, so maybe this time around we could perhaps surrender our feelings of inadequacy, our feelings of not being worthy, our fears of being unlovable. We have a purpose in this life, and depending on where we are in the cycle of life, our call may be different from anyone else's. If we are young and strong, our call to service will be different than if we are in our retirement years, with somewhat different physical abilities. Lent invites us to deeper understanding, but most of all, greater following through on what we already know. By resting in the deep silence of God's presence we learn there is still so much valuable work we can do.
It is natural to go through times of feeling small and inconsequential, but not to worry: God has a plan for us. Periods of listening to God in prayer and slowing down the pace of our lives empower us to do even more for the Kingdom. The world is hurting and full of perils, and although we may have felt helpless in the past, the detoxification process of Lent stands as a vivid reminder that while we cannot do everything, we can still do something.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of accompanying you on this wilderness journey. I look forward to standing with you on the other side, in the radiance of Easter joy.
Fr. Michel
I remember during the 1980s when a number of my friends became a little obsessed with "detoxing" their bodies of the effects of fast food and improper diet. They drank certain teas and took certain supplements that were alleged to remove the residual toxic effects of modern living and to restore the body's natural balances. I myself tried a few "juice fasts" to achieve the same sort of physical homeostasis--only to feel much the same at the end of the so-called detoxing process. Pseudo-scientific claims aside, Lent is a period when we try to detox our spirits: we set aside the things that we know are not in our highest good and choose good things that we know are lacking--acts of caring, more attentive prayer, and a more open attitude toward God's will for us.
Like the physical detox process, the spiritual detox, too, can bring aches and flu like symptoms. If we're serious about our Lenten journey, we may find ourselves feeling fatigued and even sad, as if we might be coming down with something. This is a natural part of any cleansing process and commonly accompanies deep inner-work. As we are called to examine our attitudes and actions, which often prompts deep changes, our bodies and spirits may grow tired. Feeling under the weather is one cue that it's time to slow down and do some self-care. There is a time to push through, and there is a time to pull back. Part of our ongoing challenge as Christians is to learn to listen to our inner divine selves as we discern what needs to happen next.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a 40 day fast/detox that will carry us to another celebration of the Paschal Mystery: the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. The sorrowful purple of Lent is again seen in our churches as the whole Church Universal comes together to remember the saving acts of Jesus. In other words, the time of journeying into the wilderness is upon us once again. We are already incomparably beautiful in God's sight, so maybe this time around we could perhaps surrender our feelings of inadequacy, our feelings of not being worthy, our fears of being unlovable. We have a purpose in this life, and depending on where we are in the cycle of life, our call may be different from anyone else's. If we are young and strong, our call to service will be different than if we are in our retirement years, with somewhat different physical abilities. Lent invites us to deeper understanding, but most of all, greater following through on what we already know. By resting in the deep silence of God's presence we learn there is still so much valuable work we can do.
It is natural to go through times of feeling small and inconsequential, but not to worry: God has a plan for us. Periods of listening to God in prayer and slowing down the pace of our lives empower us to do even more for the Kingdom. The world is hurting and full of perils, and although we may have felt helpless in the past, the detoxification process of Lent stands as a vivid reminder that while we cannot do everything, we can still do something.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of accompanying you on this wilderness journey. I look forward to standing with you on the other side, in the radiance of Easter joy.
Fr. Michel
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https://frmichelrcc.wordpress.com/
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