Together on the Journey: A Weekly Blog from Fr. Andrew Sheldon
Friends,
As of this past Wednesday, we have entered the season of Lent. This is considered a penitential season, one in which we reflect on the ways we have fallen short of God’s ideal for us, and one in which our rituals and practices capture a deepened turning towards God. Among the practices is the notion of fasting. This is captured by the Lenten discipline of ‘giving up’ some thing(s) for this 40-day fast. But it is my conviction that we give up something in order to take up something else. We fast so that we can spend more time in prayer, or in study, or in service to others. We fast so we can also feast. Often these things we give up are things we consume; things we eat or drink or inhale. This is all well and good, but I would encourage you to also think of those habits of the heart and the mind that might be worth putting aside for the season of Lent, and even beyond. In this spirit, I offer you this poem written by William Arthur Ward:
Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ within them.
Fast from emphasis on difference; feast on the unity of life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from worry; feast on trust in God’s Care.
Fast from unrelenting pressure; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on verities that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from shadows of sorrow; feast on the sunlight of serenity.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragements; feast on hope.
On another note, Lent is also a time when many engage in a Lenten discipline of study. To this end, I recommend a weekly offering of the brothers of the Society of St John the Evangelist (SSJE). SSJE is an Anglican Order based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I have gone on retreat there many times and have found the brothers a comfort and an inspiration. They have put together an online Lenten programme called In the Midst with a new offering coming out each Wednesday in Lent. You will find the link here.
Lenten blessings,
Andrew+