Lent.
It’s here! Are you ready?
I’m a person who likes to be ready. I want to be prepared for events, activities, assorted projects, gatherings and for the most part I don’t like to be late. Having to rush creates anxiety and zaps the excitement and energy from the occasion I’m preparing for.
Lent. It’s here! Am I ready?
When I realized the speed with which this liturgical season was fast approaching, I began to mentally list the different responsibilities that still needed my attention and creative action for my community, my ministry and my own spiritual preparedness. Let’s just say the anxiety began to rise and my head started spinning!
I took pause and asked myself: “Julie, what is it you need to be ready in order to have a peaceful balance between the chaos and calm? If you can’t control the chaos, how can you at least create the calm?” I sat with this wisdom for a long while. I knew I needed to unclutter areas of my life that became messy and dusty in order to find that point of balance. So, I started cleaning! Yes, cleaning.
Somehow the physical effort of cleaning and creating order in my personal space provides a sense of balance. For me, it opens a virtual door that allows fresh air to enter and renews the dead space I find myself in from time to time. This is one of those times and Saturday morning was the action day! Bedding got washed, carpets vacuumed, and furniture polished and rearranged. I even created a new area for my prayer space which gave a freshened sense to the needed feel of the sacred.
In cleaning and uncluttering my personal space I find that I am in a much better place to face and embrace the challenges that are a part of daily life. Engaging in the season of Lent is much like cleaning your personal space. It’s a sacred time that calls for our attention, requires our presence, summons us into times of prayer and action, while subtly transforming our very being.
How are you engaging in Lent this year? How will you use the elements of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving on this 40-day journey to transform your life in Jesus and to be that presence of Christ in our world?
On behalf of A Nun’s Life, I invite you to journey with us through Lent. All journeys begin with a single step! Together, let’s begin this journey by helping each other “live Lent” with profound peace and transformed goodness.
