By Marian McKone, guest author

Dear fellow pilgrim,

This week let us enter the season of Lent through the liturgical calendar (the schedule of scripture readings in the church).

The usual story the Sunday before Lent begins is the story of Jesus’ transfiguration (see Mt 17:1-8, Mk 9:2-8 or Lk 9:28-36). So let’s imagine with that story that we are having a “mountain top experience”. We are in the moment of delight, wonder, maybe even ecstasy.  It may be a spiritual experience, a sensation of Divine presence. Or it might be a life experience such as a promotion, award or recognition. Or possibly a joyous life transition like falling in love, marriage or the birth of a child. There may be a component of this experience that is overwhelming, even confusing, but it feels amazing. We want to celebrate, remember, create a memorial.  But then we must move from that experience, down the mountain, into day-to-day life.

The movement of integrating the ecstatic experience into the humdrum is hard work. That is where the gift of Lent comes in.  Lent is a time to practice so that we can integrate the luminous into everyday living. It is time in the service of transformation, the renewing of our minds, the uncovering of our habits.

 There are three traditional practices suggested for this season: fasting, almsgiving and intense prayer. These practices are not “practice makes perfect” but rather repetition that develops muscles so we can act, fail, act, fail and get up and act again.  The practice prepares us for our unique service, for the next step. I invite you to consider adapting these practices to your unique circumstances and gifts:

 Fasting “is really training,” says Cynthia Bourgeault, in Wisdom Jesus,  “… exactly like athletic training-so that our whole embodied being can be tuned up to support a spiritual aim we wish to achieve.” Fasting is traditionally of food in order to experience hunger.  This may help us identify with the hungry or allow for saving some amount of money for almsgiving.  Let’s expand our image of a fast in order to create space, emptiness, a way to notice our yearnings.  A fast from technology, completely or in some small way, is a challenging practice to create space to notice.  Or fast from a habit, action or thought. Be creative to sense what is supportive for your life. 

 Almsgiving is traditionally about giving money to a charity.  Let’s expand our image of almsgiving to include anything and everything that is an offering of time, talent or finances that includes a bit of challenge.

 Intense prayer is traditionally defined in a communal context.  Let’s expand our image of prayer to include any action or thought that increases your ability to listen to, hear or speak with the Divine. 

All of these practices are for the purpose of arriving at Easter emptied of attachments, practiced at hearing God and energized for your particular, focused service.

May your Lenten practicing be supported with this Psalm.

Psalm 27

Love is my light and my salvation,
whom shall I fear?
Love is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 

When fears assail me, rising up to accuse me,
Each one in turn shall be seen in Love’s light.
Though a multitude of demons rise up within me, my heart shall not fear.
Though doubts and guilt do battle, yet shall I remain confident.

One thing have I asked of Love, that I shall ever seek:
That I might dwell in the Heart of Love all the days of my life,
To behold the Beauty of my Beloved, and to know Love’s Plan.

 For I shall hide in Love’s heart in the day of trouble,
As in a tent in the desert, Away from the noise of my fears.
And I shall rise above my struggles, my pain,
Shouting blessings of gratitude in Love’s Heart
And singing melodies of praise to my Beloved. 

 Hear, O my Beloved, when I cry aloud,
be gracious and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart responds,
“Your face, my Beloved, do I seek; hide not your face from me.”

Do not turn from me, You who have been my refuge.
Enfold me in your strong arms, O Blessed One.
Though my father and mother may not understand me,
You, my Beloved, know me and love me.

Teach me to be love, as You are Love;
Lead me through each fear;
Hold my hand as I walk through valleys of illusion each day,
that I may know your Peace.

I believe that I shall know the realm of Heaven, of Love, here on Earth!
Call upon the Beloved, be strong and trust in the heart’s courage.
Trust in the power of Love: the Beloved’s unconditional and everlasting love for you.  

*From Psalms for Praying © 2007 Nan C. Merrill
Reprinted with permission of the publisher Continuum International Publishing Group, www.PsalmsForPraying.com

This is the third reflection of our Lenten series: “Noticing our Longings” graciously provided by Marian McKone, a long term friend of our CloisterSeminars (see bio below).