Saturday, March 5, 2022

And Left And Right And....

When anyone decides to take on a new challenge - the hardest part - starting.  One can think - plan - schedule - calculate time required - barriers - all sorts of variables - hardest part - actually starting.  Once that first effort is made - the first step taken - it is simply a matter of continuing the motion.  One foot after the other - left - right - until the goal is reached - project completed.  That is exactly how we should approach Lent.  There are many ways to observe Lent - silently alone - vocally in groups - sitting in church - Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament - Bible Study - attending Holy Mass - Stations of the Cross - meditation - reading inspirational articles - sitting on the back porch - making oneself present to God.  In the quiet - in the noise - in the peaceful moments - times of chaos - God is there.  It is important for everyone who has made a decision to participate fully in the Lenten experience to understand that quality not quantity is what is important.  When my wife and I walk through the desert - the greatest effort is not always the climb - rather the length of the journey.  A short hike up the mountains at a slower pace often is very relaxing compared to the temptation to walk quickly over flat terrain.

Sonoran Desert Arizona

As mentioned before - God is looking for quality - not quantity.  Better to spend fifteen minutes in deep meditation - rather than an an hour of distracted prayers.  As pilgrims on a journey - better to walk sure footed than run on a slippery slope.  Lent is forty days long - plenty of time for everyone to draw closer to Our Lord.

Deacon Dale