By Julie A. Ferraro | FāVS News Columnist
The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News.
The Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho, invited friends and donors to join in a very special Lenten journey this year, beginning on Ash Wednesday. Those who signed up receive daily inspirational emails to help them navigate the 40 sacred days leading up to the Triduum — Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday — and Easter Sunday.
Snippets from “The Rule of St. Benedict” and Scripture are accompanied by tidbits of wisdom and a practice to work on through the day guide participants through the week, with contemplative suggestions and journal prompts included for weekend reflections in a sort of “mini retreat.”
In a similar vein, there are scores of books that allow readers to focus their days with quotes from saints, popes, the Bible and more — for special seasons like Lent, and throughout the year.
In fact, the journey of faith we are on is not one of just a few weeks in the spring, but ongoing, constant, progressive, throughout life.
We hope.
Indeed, everyone suffers setbacks on their respective journey. Health issues may disrupt travel plans or activities. Crises of faith, doubts, may lead a person away from the community or parish where they’ve found comfort for many years. Sometimes it may seem like we take one step forward on our spiritual trek and two steps back.
By taking a few minutes each day to reflect on how we’ve been blessed — simply waking up in the morning is a grace in itself! — progress can be made on this enduring adventure toward eternity.
Small moments, deep roots
Benedictines practice lectio divina, taking a short Scripture passage or paragraph from another spiritual text, reading it over slowly a few times, then “sitting” with it, letting it sink in, speak to their hearts and inspire appropriate action.
Others might prefer a different style of meditation, but that silence, that brief period of stillness, becomes an essential source of strength as we move through the daily routine — which can often be far from routine!
Just as workers tend to anticipate the morning coffee break, on a deeper level we can schedule moments of prayer into our waking hours. It doesn’t have to be anything as lengthy as a decade of the rosary, even. It can be an impromptu prayer when sliding behind the steering wheel for a run to the grocery store — something as simple as “St. Joseph, be at my side, keep me safe on this ride.”
The options are endless, and fully dependent on an individual’s preferences and temperament. What speaks to one heart might not touch another, so there can be no room to critique any practice that moves a soul closer to God on life’s journey.
What is important is that the journey continues after the Paschal fire is lit at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.
Beyond the Easter Vigil
We can expand our vision from giving up chocolate or desserts, regular spiritual reading or volunteering at the food pantry once a week, to integrating a portion of the Divine Office — also known as the Liturgy of the Hours — into our day, even if it’s just Compline, Night Prayer, with its profound yet brief Canticle of Simeon from the Gospel of Luke, “Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace, your word has been fulfilled. …”
We can donate time and talent to causes that advocate for those without a voice in today’s society. Just as we see Christ in those we encounter, as St. Benedict recommends, we can be Christ to them, as well — embodying Jesus’ word, “What you do for the least of these, you do for me.”
Let the Lenten journey continue every day!
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