Walking through the woods is a spiritual experience for me. It is a place where darkness and light interact with each other, and the trees stand witness to the sacredness of creation; of life and death and resurrection – over and over again.
Today is Ash Wednesday and I would love to be out in the woods, but other commitments call today.
So, I sit in my office, watching the birds at the feeder, and wonder what it would be like to walk with the risen Jesus through Lent? I say “risen” because Jesus is eternally present, eternally dying and eternally risen.
Do you recall, after the first resurrection, the early disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus who walked beside them on the road to Emmaus? And other disciples did not recognize Jesus as he cooked fish for them beside the shore? They were looking right at him, but their eyes did not register the person with them as Jesus.
As we walk through Lent this year, let us do so intentionally - open to the process of recognizing Jesus with us.
It may take a few kilometers into the journey before we are able to open our hearts to Jesus’ presence, to open our ears to his voice. But, when we are finally able to match our footsteps to his, we might find we are open to an even deeper experience of the Season of Lent.
Today, unable to walk in the sacred spaces of creation, I pray:
Jesus, walk beside us, walk us through Lent this year.
Let us feel your presence and hear your voice.
Open our hearts, let light seep into those places where we have not permitted light to enter.
Open the eyes of our hearts to see your face in those with whom we work and walk.
Come into those broken places within us.
In relationships with others, in the world around us, remain with us.
Remind us yet again, instill within us once more
The quiet confidence of hope and joy
Eternally ours in the Resurrection promised at the end of the journey.
In peace
Pastor Beryl DLM