Lent is a journey. It began yesterday with Ash Wednesday and the reminder that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. The journey will eventually conclude at Easter morning with the celebration of our resurrected Lord, who is Lord of even the dust. In between the start and the finish, the 40-day journey between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday lends itself to contemplation, meditation and action.
To help guide you through this Lenten season, we have put together a series of prayer practices. Each week in the eNews under the heading “Virtual Caring Corner,” you will find a prayer practice to engage in throughout the coming week. You also can access these prayer practices on the church website. Some practices may be familiar, while others could be new to you. I encourage you to set aside time each week to intentionally participate in these practices. Once you pick a time, stick to it; place it on your schedule for the next six weeks to help make it a regular habit. Do not worry if the practice seems strange at first; that is a normal response when learning something new. If one practice is not agreeable with you, that also is normal. Not everything works for everyone.
The prayer practices begin today with the labyrinth. In her article introducing the labyrinth, BMPC member Anne Montgomery Schmid writes, “The great part about walking a labyrinth is that it meets me where I am. I don’t have to know anything as I take my first step. All I need to do is walk and breathe. As I place one foot and then the next, I focus on my breath and I focus on being with God. God listens to me and I try to listen for and to God. It’s so good for me to allow my body to carry me as I give my mind a rest.” I encourage you to read the rest of Anne’s article, and prayerfully walk the labyrinth, using some of the virtual and at-home suggestions that Anne provides.
In the coming weeks other prayer practices will be introduced. These will include breath prayers, sacred pauses, the Prayer of Examen, and Praying in Color. I pray that through each practice you will deepen your connection with God and this community. At a time when so much continues to be unstable, may these practices ground you in the truth of God’s love and the reality of God’s presence.
I believe God meets us wherever we may be. As you make this Lenten journey, I pray that God accompanies you along the way. May you experience God’s comfort and peace as you meet God in prayer.
Please click here to view the entire list of Lenten offerings at BMPC.
