This week: A Lenten Journey Edited by: Sophy  
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Hi, I'm Sophy ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Christians around the world begin a period of reflection, repentance, and renewal as the Lenten season begins today (March 6) with the observance of Ash Wednesday.
Valerie Schultz writes, “We receive our ashes as a sign of repentance, of our yearning for God’s forgiveness, of our intent to live our faith more truly in the face of our mortality. ‘Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return,’ says the priest or minister, blessing us with a blackened thumb. The ashes that mark our foreheads only last for a day, but the mark this makes on our hearts is meant to endure for the entire 40 days of Lent."
Lent is the 40 days before Easter (not including the six Sundays in between). Traditionally, some spiritual discipline is taken on as a way of strengthening one’s relationship with God, or one’s discipleship, or one’s responsiveness to the Sacred in their life. Lent refers to the fact that the days are lengthening during this season, and is a symbolic reminder of Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism and before he began his ministry.
One tradition is to make a sacrifice, to give up some comfort which is a part of daily life so as to be able to share Jesus’ experience, knowing his hunger in the wilderness and the ultimate sacrifice of his life. Here the emphasis is on the lengthening shadows at the end of the day. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) is the day on indulgence before the season of fasting.
Another tradition is to consecrate your life with some specific discipline. Here the purpose isn’t so much to give up something for the sake of doing without, but to put aside the preoccupations and distractions which keep us from being aware of and responsive to the Sacred, or to take on some activity that will lead you forward in your faith journey.
The point is to identify what ever is getting in your way, whatever is distracting you from paying attention to God’s presence in your life. Some still choose to remove something from their experience for the forty days so that they can be more available to what God might have to offer. Others choose to do something additional during the forty days, so they can grow in their ability to love their neighbor. Some will decide to buy extra groceries for a food pantry. Some will decide to donate blood. Some will decide to spend extra time with their family, or volunteer for some sort of charity.
What will make your journey for these next forty days a sacred one? What do you need to leave behind? Is there someone you need to forgive to be free? Is there some habit or activity or relationship that has come to demand too much of your time and attention? What do you need to take with you? Is there some issue or relationship or activity that you need to pay more attention to regain perspective?
Whether you follow the traditional practice of giving something up for Lent, or if you decide to try the new way of doing something extra for others during Lent, since we are writers, I invite you to write about it -- journal, poetry, whatever suits your writing muse. Not a Christian? It doesn't matter -- doing something kind for others is a universal spiritual practice, and I encourage you to give it a try.
I look forward to hearing from some of you about your experiences, and will share anything I receive about it next month.
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (February 7, 2018)" about "Walking the Walk" -
From Happy April 2024! 
Amen to Mary Oliver. I love her poetry that really speaks!
   
From shepherd46
Wonderful article, Sophy, on Mary Oliver. God, Jesus, Billy Graham and words from Camelot inspire me so much. I love what Jesus said, "I am with you always.." And, what King Arthur said in Camelot before his last battle, "We are all but a drop in the deep blue ocean, but some of those drops sparkle, they sparkle!"
Love this, thank you!
From Quick-Quill 
I think God encourages spiritual writing. Most often He prompts writers to show His published words in a modern way. I still love reading KJV. There is nothing like the poetry of it. Studying the WORD I look at old commentaries for understanding. I do not believe God has given inspiration to man the same way he did the Disciples. What is given now is the same premise with the ability to break it down for man's understanding. There are many great spiritual writers who have written books with God's guidance. Some writers I wonder who is guiding them.
I believe sacred inspiration is timeless and infinite - much like God.
From Cynaemon 
Thank you for sharing that poem by Mary Oliver. Whenever I think of poetry, or poets, two poems in this vein especially come to mind. "I Sit Beside the Fire and Think," by Tolkien, and "The Cool Green Hills of Earth," by Heinlein.
I sit beside the fire and think
of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring
that I shall ever see.[3]
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring
there is a different green.
from: I Sit Beside the Fire
and
“We pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave us birth;
Let us rest our eyes on fleecy skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.”
Best Wishes, Cynaemon
Thanks for sharing these. 
From Mia - craving colour
HI Sophy
Thank you for another thoughtful reflection.
Wonderful to be reminded that even today's mortals can be recipients of Divine inspiration.
Your words regarding Mary Oliver are a lovely way to remember her.
Her writings will continue to live on to touch many.
Amen.
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophy |
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Spiritual: March 06, 2019 Issue [#9413]
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