Ash Wednesday 2012 - Lenten Disciplines

It is hard to believe that in forty days Christians shall gather to celebrate the great feast of Easter. Where does the time go? In order to arrive at that glorious Sunday, the Christian journey takes a period of introspection to be in “the desert” so to speak – experiencing the season of Lent.

The Book of Common Prayer sets the tone just right: “The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This is season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need which all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith” (BCP, page 264).

What is a Christian to do during these forty days of preparation?

Since I started blogging in late November, I take a few moments each day to look at other blogs to discover what people are writing, discussing and musing about. I came across an excellent and exceptional blog created by Rachel Held Evans. She is a marvelous young woman who is a Christian author and lectures across the country at university campuses. Her blog can be found here: Rachel Held Evans Blog

Rachel set forth a guide for Lent that included forty suggestions of questions, readings, disciplines and meditations. Using her outline, I am going to share some of her submissions and add a few of my own. I hope they will be of assistance to you on your journey this Lent. I encourage you to make any additional suggestions in the comment section of this blog for the benefit of other readers from across the globe.

The first ten suggestions (Questions) are Rachel’s – the questions are superb and should really help you to focus during the next forty days. She asks:

10 Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. When I wake up on Resurrection Sunday morning, how will I be different? 
2. Is there a habit or sin in my life that repeatedly gets in the way of loving God with my whole heart or loving my neighbor as myself? How do I address that habit over the next 40 days?
3. Is there anyone in my life from whom I need to ask forgiveness or pursue reconciliation? 
4. What practical steps can I take to carve out time for daily contemplation? 
5. What spiritual discipline do I need to improve upon or want to try? 
6. What are some things in my life that I tell myself I need but I don’t? Can I give one or two of them up for 40 days? 
7. Why am I giving this particular thing up? How does giving it up draw me closer to God and prepare me for Easter? 
8. What am I going to tell myself when self-denial gets hard? 
9. Is it necessary/helpful for me to share the nature my fast with others or should I keep it private?
10. What do the ashes mean to me this year? What does baptism mean to me this year? 

10 Book Recommendations: 

My Suggestions 

Click on the title for more information

1. Lent For Everyone, Mark, Year B, A Daily Devotional

2. Show Me The Way by Henri Nouwen

3. Small Surrenders by Emilie Griffin

4. With Open Hands by Henri Nouwen

5. Living Lent by Barbara Cawthorne Crafton

6. Lenten and Easter Wisdom by Thomas Merton

7. The Lenten Labyrinth by Edward Hays

8. Immortal Bird: A Family Memoir by Doron Weber

9. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron

10. Forged by Bart Ehrman

 

10 Disciplines, Fasts or Rituals:

Shared Suggestions

Pray the office of Morning Prayer for 40 days. The Daily Office can be found here: The schedule of readings can be found here: The Lectionary

Institute an Easter Tree or The Light of the World  (via Ann Voskamp). I like what Ann says at her website: "Because Easter is more important than Christmas."
 

Don’t eat lunch out for the next six weeks. The money that you save can be used for two purposes – either pay down whatever debt you may be carrying and is a burden to your future OR give the money to a charity like Open M in Akron, Ohio or Malaria Nets for Africa. 

Take the 40 Days of Water Challenge to help bring clean water to Uganda. Give up all beverages except for water for the 40 days of Lent 2012 and donate the money you save to Blood: Water Mission. They have a great website through which you can track your progress and learn more. 

Traditionally, Christians abstained from eating meat during Lent, so consider joining millions of Christians around the world in this fast. It’s a great way to feel connected to the historical, worldwide church.
 

Set aside one morning during the weekend to be still, quiet and attentive to the Holy Spirit. You can do this for no one is that busy. It is simply a question of priorities and making the decision to do so.

Commit to memorizing a significant portion of Scripture, like the Sermon on the Mount, or Isaiah 58, or (one of Rachel's favorites) 1 John 4.
 

Choose a day in your week where there is no allegiance to Facebook, Twitter, the Internet or Television. Notice carefully your feelings and attitudes during this 24 hour period. You won’t miss it and the World can live without you for 24 hours!

Commit to 40 days of praying for your enemies. Rachel does not mean ruminating over all they have done wrong and praying that they will change, but praying that they will be blessed, that they will find health and peace and grace, that they will come to know Jesus or experience the love of Christ more fully. (Does anyone know of a good resources on how to do this well? If so, please leave a note in the comment section.)

Get outside! I walked for an hour yesterday. It was the first time in months and it was glorious. The trails in the Cuyahoga Valley will soon be full of transition from winter to spring. Enjoy the transformation that is taking place all around you in creation.

10 Meditations:

Shared Suggestions
Again, click on the citation for more information.

1. Psalm 51
2. Psalm 139
3. Psalm 84
4. The Beatitudes Matthew 5:1-12
5. The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
6. Psalm 46
7. Litany of Humility
8. Prayer of Saint Francis
9. Penitential Prayer of St. Augustine 
10. This one, from Thomas Merton: 

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always,
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Wellness includes body, mind and soul! Take advantage of this Lenten period to reflect, to listen, and to understand what God is seeking for your life.

Love One Another - Brian