A Lenten Reflection by Canon Val
Very shortly, pancakes will be behind us and the ashes of Ash Wednesday before us, as we prepare to enter this season of Lent, a season in which as Christians we are called to set time and energy aside to not only reflect upon our faith, but to consider how it informs and directs our everyday living and our everyday choices. We approach this season earnestly while also seeking out fresh resolve and fresh inspiration. As we consider our own Lenten path, I have always appreciated Joan Chittister’s definition of spirituality which seems such an excellent fit for our consideration over this season of Lent. Joan is a Benedictine nun and writer of countless books, a leading voice for spiritual renewal, a prophetic champion of peace and justice and a champion of the role of women in the church and the world.
"Spirituality is the magnet within us that draws us to God.
It immerses us in a consciousness of the God who is with us and the God who is beyond us. Spirituality is a composite of those practices, attitudes, and values designed to bring to the height of spiritual development, o the depths of goodness, to authentic conjunction with the will of God in the here and now. Spirituality is theology walking. It makes theology real."
During this period, my prayer is that Lent 2025 becomes a time of renewal for everyone, allowing our daily realities to align more closely with a deeper understanding of our faith in all aspects of our lives. Over these 40 days, may we gain new insights and be motivated to explore where needed for our continuous personal and communal growth and development, ever learning, ever becoming.
Cultivating Curiosity in the Season of Lent
Lately I have been hearing a lot about curiosity. Although it is often said that curiosity had adverse consequences for "the cat" (curiosity killed the cat), it seems that being curious can significantly benefit us, especially during the season of Lent. This period provides an opportunity to cultivate our curiosity, which can profoundly enhance our spiritual journey.
Curiosity Fosters Growth: Faith is not static; it’s a dynamic relationship with God. Curiosity allows us to ask questions, seek answers, and grow spiritually. This process helps us evolve in our beliefs, develop a more mature faith, and avoid complacency or stagnation.
Curiosity Encourages Personal Reflection: When we are curious about our faith, we become more introspective. We start to question how our beliefs impact our actions, relationships, and values. This leads to self-awareness and helps us live out our faith more authentically.
Curiosity Builds Our Relationship with God: Curiosity invites us into a deeper conversation with God. It encourages prayer, meditation, and study, all of which can foster a more intimate relationship with God. By asking questions and seeking guidance, we draw closer to the divine.
Curiosity Promotes a Sense of Wonder and Awe: Faith is not just about intellectual knowledge; it's also about wonder and awe at the mysteries of God. Curiosity nurtures a sense of amazement at the vastness of God’s love, creation, and purpose. This wonder can strengthen our faith and inspire us to worship Him with a renewed sense of awe.
In a nutshell, curiosity can make our faith more vibrant, alive, and engaging. It challenges us to think deeply, grow continuously, and, most importantly, seek God with all our hearts and in the end, that sounds exactly what it is to observe a holy Lent. What are you curious about and what are you going to do about it? Why wait!
The Invitation to Our Lenten Practices
…some ways to participate …
I invite you therefore, in the name of the Lord,
to observe a holy Lent by
* self-examination (March 9)
* penitence (March 16)
* prayer (March 23)
* fasting (March 30)
* and almsgiving (April 7)
* and by reading and meditating on the word of God. (April 14)
Every year, we swing back again to these six practices of Lent. As we set off on this Lenten journey, we are all asked to find moments to participate in these practices. For some of us, we will be returning to a previous commitment or even delving a little deeper into former practices. For others we will be exploring something new. I would invite you to be curious about different ways in which you might open yourselves and give yourselves the opportunities to learn something new and/or be refresh by something familiar.
While following the readings for each week of Lent, each week, I will be sharing a question as part of the reflection, inviting you to take this question into the week ahead. As well, in the News This Week, that precedes each of the Sundays listed above, I will include some thoughts on this Lenten practice for your considering. As well, immediately following the Sunday Service, you will find me at the “Conversation Table [purple tablecloth]” during Coffee Hour. I hope you’ll join me and share some of your thoughts.
A Calendar for Lent: The Way of Love
Available in paper copy on Sunday, March 2nd as well as being posted on our website (stannesbyron.ca), on this calendar you will find a brief prompt for each day of Lent. Shared with us by the Episcopal Church, this calendar provides us with a centering question each day to focus our reflections.
Walking The Way of Jesus:
From Jerusalem to your Home with the Very Rev’d Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College, Jerusalem
Saturday, April 5, 2025 (venue yet tbc)
Dean Richard will offer two reflections on site in Jerusalem which bring the Holy City into your home as he reflects on the ways that we can walk the way of Jesus. Jerusalem still evokes a sense of the presence of Christ, who taught in the Temple, healed people and walked the way of the cross to his crucifixion. He was resurrected in the city and, according to Luke's gospel, ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives. These are not simply events in the life of Jesus but provide the guide for us, as Christians today about how we can live the way of Christ in our contexts. The Holy Land is living under the shadow of war and Dean Richard will ponder how this reality can speak to the Christian life, wherever you live as we approach Holy Week and Easter.
There Are Pilgrimages and then There Are Pilgrimages
Most of us understand the idea of a pilgrimage as a journey to a sacred or holy place, usually for religious or spiritual purposes. People who go on pilgrimages are often seeking spiritual growth, a deeper connection with their faith, or to fulfill a religious duty. The location of a pilgrimage is typically a site of historical, religious, or cultural significance, such as a shrine, temple, or a place where a religious figure lived or was said to have performed miracles. While pilgrimages can be physically challenging, they are seen as an opportunity for reflection, prayer, and devotion.
The truth is, pilgrimages can take many forms, and while some of us may in our lifetimes have the opportunity to travel to some of these distance sites, we can participate in a different kind of pilgrimage, every day, if we so choose.
Did you know that praying while walking is another way to have a daily pilgrimage? When we think of prayer, we often thing of being still as we pray, standing, kneeling or sitting, while reaching out to God. However, some of us do our best praying while moving. Prayer walking can be a wonderful gift for those who like to get up and move around while intentionally communicating with God. So versatile, prayer walking can be done in any location at any times, on your own or with others.
Sometimes our pilgrimage with walking prayers will be done in our neighbourhoods, intentionally praying for our neighbours as we pass each of their houses, whether we know their particulars or not. Passing a school or a residence for seniors? Why not pray for them? Passing shops of different kinds? Why not remember all those who will visit them during the day, and perhaps even also those who would like to visit them to shop but lack the means.
Sometimes we will be out in nature taking in the beauty around us, with prayers full of thanksgiving for the gifts all around us. As we walk, we may say our prayers out loud and at other times, we will hold them silently in our hearts.
There may well be other pilgrimages we make either on our own or in the company of others, as we travel from place to place, and we may find that there are no words for the experiences in which we find ourselves, or if there are, they are too difficult to utter. During these kinds of pilgrimages, we have only our inner turmoil and sighs to offer, yet we are assured by Scripture that they too are heard and held by God (see Romans 8:26) …the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what we ought to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words …
Walking not always possible, due to time or mobility challenges? No problem. Perhaps your pilgrimage takes place as you drive through your neighbourhood or surrounding, or even as your neighbour hood passes before you out your window. I am convinced there is a pilgrimage for everyone as we continue to lift our world in prayer to God during this reflective season of Lent.
What kind of pilgrimages will you have during this Lenten season? I would love to hear from you about your pilgrimages; feel free to take pictures and we can share them. Hearing from you may be just the thing to spur others on.
Canon Val