guest post by Ron Friesen,
It is 1988, I am leading an adult Bible study in north Phoenix in a church I helped plant a few years earlier. As I am leading the study on the man born blind (John 9), I am realizing how privileged I am to be in this group. Some are very successful businesspeople, some are in professions like nursing and teaching, and still others are new single parents and several struggle with mental health issues. I divide the group into small groups. I invite them to put themselves into the characters in the story. Some are the blind man, some are parents of the blind man, some are the Pharisees and scribes and some are Jesus. After some struggle, each group enters into the character of their assigned personages. A lively debate ensues.
Bringing the Gospel narrative into the context of my class in 1988, I flip the script and say, “The man is not born blind, however, he has just told you he contracted AIDS. How would you react based on your roles you were just in?” Most group members realized that their roles reflected the varied societal responses to recently disclosed AIDS crisis.
Some wanted to question what sin he had committed? Some wanted to blame the man’s parents for failing to be good parents. Some wanted to pull out the rule book on sexual behavior. Some expressed compassion and wanted to see him healed.
Today on May 25, the issue is not AIDS but social injustice. On this date, one year ago, George Floyd suffocated on a street in Minneapolis while a policeman placed his knee on his neck.
Who are we in the narrative?
Are we the policeman who had his knee on George’s neck?
Are we the fellow policemen who are observing and trying to shield your fellow kneeling officer from the prying eyes of the public?
Are we the person with the telephone video camera taping the scene?
Are we one of the by-standers who is shouting at the policemen?
Are we a passer-by who notices the scene and who keeps walking by?
Perhaps at the date of George Floyd’s death, we were in the role we have been set in by our life experience. A year has passed, in what role are we today? Or are we still in a period of transformation?
It was my privilege to wash the feet of one of the homeless men. “Arnold” told me how he and his wife have been homeless a number of times in the past five years. Various circumstances such as lost jobs and lost housing have caused their homelessness. He was grateful for the attention I paid to him and the service offered.
There is something profoundly intimate in washing the feet of another person. The feet are the place where all nerves come to an ending. This is why the ancient practice of reflexology works miracles for many people.
As I was holding Arnold’s feet, I was wondering where his feet had been in his fifty-plus years. What did they play when they were in school playgrounds? What halls of achievement had they strolled through? Where had these feet moved to seeking relief from suffering and pain? As I gently washed, dried and applied lotion on Arnold’s feet, I prayed for his feet. I prayed they would walk in paths of peace, in ways of love and joy, and in streets of service to his family and his community.
As Arnold was grateful for my service; I am even more grateful for the opportunity to minister in the ways of Jesus, who washes our feet every day.
Bio for Ron Friesen
Ron Friesen, a native of British Columbia, Canada, has resided in Phoenix, Arizona since 1981. As an ordained minister with Mennonite Church, USA, Ron has served as a pastor, hospital chaplain, hospice chaplain and a chaplain with people experiencing homelessness. The last twenty-two years, Ron has been a bi-vocational minister while he worked as a professional mental health counselor in a community health center, a psychiatric hospital and a prison. Ron continues to be an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University. Ron recently became a Certified Spiritual Director through the Christian Formation and Direction Ministry – Arizona.
Ron is married to June Friesen, a frequent contributor to Godspace. They are the parents of two adult sons and the proud grandparents of two girls who live with their parents in northern Virginia. Ron recently took up photography and hiking as a hobby. Ron’s life purpose is “Love God, love those who love God, and love those who don’t know God loves them.”
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I’ve been considering what my Lenten focus, Lenten practice, is going to be for this year… and I’m still pondering.
Many of us feel like the entire past year has been a season of Lent… since we’ve given up time with friends and family and all the normal rhythms of life, thanks to the pandemic. We really don’t want the wilderness of Lent, we are truly ready for the joy and celebration of Resurrection and Easter.
Maybe you are just plain exhausted… and the thought of a Lenten Practice is just one more thing on a list that is already too long.
I said last week that maybe you just need to have REST be your practice this Lent.
I truly believe that our culture would be more kind and compassionate if we had more rest and more space for things that restore our souls.
What would it take for you to make REST your Lenten practice this year? Could you do this with your partner or your family? Or with your flatmates/roommates? Could you take an afternoon each week to just BE… or to take a nap or read books, or do a puzzle, leaving technology and screens behind so your mind gets a break? Could you plan a time to just rest with Jesus, allowing Jesus to hold all the stuff you are busy carrying around? How would you feel by Easter if REST were your weekly practice?
Permission to REST for Lent
WRITE YOURSELF A PERMISSION SLIP to allow yourself to REST!
With so many people suffering due to the cold weather and due to the pandemic, fasting something for Lent feels a bit forced or useless. I’ve never been a good faster of food anyway, but I am considering what I might fast in order to draw closer to Jesus between now and Easter. I found this great poem/prayer that is helping me process fasting this Lenten Season.
The Fast Life
Fast from judging others;
Feast on Christ dwelling in them. Fast from fear of illness;
Feast on the healing power of God. Fast from words that pollute;
Feast on speech that purifies.
Fast from discontent;
Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger;
Feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism;
Feast on hope.
Fast from negatives;
Feast on encouragement.
Fast from bitterness;
Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern;
Feast on compassion.
Fast from suspicion;
Feast on truth.
Fast from gossip;
Feast on purposeful silence.
Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that sustains.
Fast from anxiety;
Feast on faith.
-Author Unknown
Any of these resonate with you?
Remember that Sundays are Feast days during Lent, so if you do decide to fast something, you don’t have to fast it on Sundays! My friend Professor Maggie Dawn, a theologian in the UK, feels like the entire last year has been a Lenten fast, so she is opting to focus on a saint everyday. She is posting her saint of the day on twitter and you can follow along!
How would you feel by Easter, if you chose to do something that filled your cup and drew you closer to Jesus?
Create something !
Maybe art, or music, or even baking? Or walking in nature? All done with the intention of allowing these things to draw you closer to Jesus.
I realized that I needed more music in my life. We don’t have singing as a part of our thinplaceNASHVILLE practice (it’s hard to sing on Zoom anyway) and I love to sing! I discovered a new to me group called THE PORTER’S GATE and I’m listening to their music each day.
Could you find some new music, or find some old music you love that you haven’t listened to or sung in a long time and make this a part of your day?
We celebrated Shrove Tuesday this week with a virtual pancake gathering and this made me think of something I’d like to practice during this Lenten Season. I’ve wanted to bake cookies for my neighbors all through this crazy year, but haven’t taken the time to do it. I think that this baking never happened because I wanted to make cookies for everyone at once and didn’t see that I could do a few neighbors at a time! Too much perfectionism rather than fun! Baking for me is good therapy. It slows me down and brings me peace. What if baking is my Lenten Practice this year? What if I choose to bake a batch of cookies each week and deliver them to my neighbors? I don’t have to do it all at once! It doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be a prayer practice, praying for my neighbors as I bake, and then giving away the cookies to them. You could even do this as a family practice.
Even if you don’t like baking or don’t want this to be a part of your Lenten experience this year, PUT OUT A LARGE SPOON OR A SPATULA where you will see it everyday and consider what Jesus wants to mix into your life this Lent. What has God been mixing in you lately? What needs more stirring? What is Jesus stirring in you? What recipe is God making through you?
What is Jesus Stirring in you?
Let’s take time to actually consider how we can draw closer to Jesus/God between now and Easter. Even in the midst of a frozen February here in the States, and in Lock Down, and in the land of Covid, we can experience more of Jesus’s peace and presence. Jesus longs for us to just be with him and know that we are his beloved. He is holding us in the palm of his hand.
And if you want to experience a bit of rest, healing and art, this Lent, check out our Healing Workshop or sign up for our Lenten Retreat happening on March 6, 2021.
by Sue Duby,
by Sue Duby
Three-year old grandson Nate LOVES trucks. Any kind. Any size. The bigger the better. But amidst all the wheeled vehicles racing down the hallway, dump trucks top the list. Nate’s tiny fingers wiggle to grasp any small objects to stuff into the truck’s bin, then wheel the whole load across the room. At times, success! At times, screams and tears when the load tips over.
Load lifting is a lot like that. Skill required. A “loader” in good shape for the journey. Knowing it won’t always work out as anticipated. Willingness to try again when it all fails. Shuffling objects from one location to another. Lifting weights that are just too much for one person to handle alone. Even moving items to truly “dump” them.
As Chuck and I have enjoyed the luxury of time to reflect over the past few months, we’ve discovered a past life theme that’s birthed new dreams. Load lifting.
I’ve never bench pressed anything in the gym. Neither of us love exercising with heavy dumbbells. Though we’re not fashioned of metal, with crazy tread tires, screws and bolts like Nate’s prize dump truck, we’re recognizing more and more how He fashioned and wired us both. Not sure why it’s taken part of a lifetime to grab hold of understanding, but grateful it’s getting clearer. We love to lift loads!
Way back during our missions training school in snowy Montana, one leader unexpectedly thanked us for being “Aaron and Hur”. At first, that sounded crazy and confusing. Puzzled, we dug a bit deeper and discovered it’s actually very simple… just lift a hand!
In Exodus 17:8-13, Moses charges Joshua to go out to fight the Amalekites, promising to stand on the hill with God’s staff in hand. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites continued to win. When he grew weary, “…Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” (v. 12 NIV)
By John Everett Millais – Originally uploaded by Paul Barlow, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18811161
A battle raged. Lives were on the line. Moses was not tasked with joining the physical battle or shouting orders for hours. He had one seemingly unrelated job… to hold his hands high. Even with that small task, it became too burdensome. If you’ve ever tried to raise your arms for a long period of time, it’s hard! Aaron and Hur likewise were not required to rush into battle. Again, for them, one simple duty. Hold Moses’ hands high. Not even two … just a single hand each. Just enough to keep Moses’ stance steady. And victory followed.
Though I’ll likely never be on a battlefield, watching spears fly and armor clashing, I know daily there are people in my life who are weary. I also realize (after too many years to count of trying) that it’s not my job to “fix” anything for others, but rather to come alongside and “load lift” in ways God inspires. Maybe a quick text, “Thinking of you”. Perhaps a phone call to just listen. A note in the mail. A cup of coffee on the back porch. A warm loaf of sourdough bread (a newly discovered passion!). Simple acknowledgement that their struggle is real.
May be bold to step out to hold a hand up… to ask Him to show us our assignment (who, when, where, how)… and not measure how big or small it may seem. Sometimes, it’s simply asking a few questions along the way each day…
- Who is weighed down in my sphere? (Physically, emotionally or spiritually)
- Am I to help load lift? (never assuming I’m to jump in, but always asking Him)
- What role do you have for me, no matter how simple? (…and let me not quickly discount those!)
- For me alone or as a team? (sometimes it takes two!)
- When am I to step aside and know my job is done? (that’s as important as jumping in)
As we journey in to 2021, may He open our eyes to those around us who need load lifting. And may we enjoy the journey as He leads the way.
by Sue Duby
And sometimes even the best load lifters need a break!
Feature Photo by Aamir Suhail on unsplash.com
Our newest course, Time to Heal Online Course, is available now for purchase! This course provides 5 sessions with Christine Sine, Lilly Lewin, and Bethany Dearborn Hiser each with different approaches and practices to assist in processing grief and healing.
by Tom Sine
Christine & I are looking forward to our 1st Vaccine, however, our pup Goldie has decided to avoid all needles.
What we miss most in 2021 is celebrating with friends in these troubled 2020s.
What we pray for most is that followers of Jesus of all gens will join members of Gen Y and Z by creating new forms of neighborhood empowerment, racial justice & climate change and the just distribution of vaccine for all our neighbors on our struggling planet.
I am particularly grateful for an article in the PRESBYTERIAN OUTLOOK by Eric Peltz, an innovative young pastor, with kind words for 2020s Foresight… and for my good friend, Dwight Friesen, who took the time to join me in writing this, my final book.
Thank you for checking out Godspace and discovering why you and so many people appreciate Christine, who is a gift to so many friends all over our struggling world… particularly the 6 people who share life with us in the Mustard Seed House. We will save a piece of moist chocolate cake for you… We would value your prayers.
Tom Sine
Our newest course, Time to Heal Online Course, is available now for purchase! This course provides 5 sessions with Christine Sine, Lilly Lewin, and Bethany Dearborn Hiser each with different approaches and practices to assist in processing grief and healing.
by Carol Dixon,
Create in me a clean heart, God – a hymn for Ash Wednesday
Tune: Tallis’ Canon
Create in me a clean heart, God,
a heart that focuses on you,
that emulates your living Word
in everything I say and do;
A humble mindset centred on
your will for me in all my days,
a renewed spirit helping me
to live a life of constant praise.
Help me to work for justice, peace,
sharing the gifts you give with all,
to love with joy abundantly
and faithfully follow your call.
(Carol Dixon © United Reformed Church Handbook 2021, used with permission).
(736) Glory to Thee My God This Night, Tallis’s Canon (Instrumental Version) – YouTube
Picking stones
I pick up a stone
thinking it is bread
and then my sand-filled eyes
see that it is just a stone.
I’m disappointed, God,
I feel betrayed,
as if it is your fault, not mine.
Challenging God,
It’s the same
with our sins and sorrows:
we pick up a stone of disobedience
expecting it to give us what we desire most;
a stone of heart-ache
hoping it will bring happiness
instead of offering them to you
to be transformed by your redeeming love.
We pick up the stones
of the hurts of the world:
violence and poverty,
disaster and starvation,
wanting you to turn them into bread:
to solve every painful situation:
every sorrow:
the accidental,
those of our own making,
those caused by greed.
Loving Jesus,
your broken body became
fresh bread for us all;
feed us with your love, we pray,
so that we may nurture our famished world.
(Carol Dixon (© United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook 2017, used with permission)
The idea of the above prayer came to me after my son, a farm worker, came home after spending the afternoon removing unwanted stones from a field before ploughing and remarked that one of the stones he’d picked up looked like the bread bun he had for lunch. I also came across an article on the web which made an interesting analogy about picking stones (see below)
Picking stones
“Being raised on a farm has a few duties that no one is eager to do. One of them is picking stones. In the spring, when the dirt is turned over before planting, it seems that the first thing that sprouts is a new crop of stones. You cleared the fields the year before, but each year they return.
It’s important to get them out of the way. Young sprouts aren’t strong enough to move the heavy stones. It stunts their growth and sometimes kills them. So you bend over time after time, each stone getting heavier as you calculate the tonnage you must be moving and grumble about it under your breath.
One of the things I do is teach basic internet skills to seniors. The courage, commitment and perseverance of this group never stops impressing me. In the face of trifocals, small print, arthritic hands and lack of computer experience, they come in week after week, sometimes repeating the four week class three or four times, gaining a little more each time and somehow being encouraged by these small steps in what proves to be a stony field for them.” The full article can be found here.
Ash Wednesday Prayer – Encountering God in a secret place – our own ‘Poustinia’*
[Isaiah 58 1-12; Matt 6 1-6, 16-21]
LENT can be a season of refreshment and renewal – a healthy balance of work, rest, prayer as we give up time in busy lives to sort out our relationship with God, rediscovering God’s perspective on life and actively work at ways of turning world values around in sacrificial giving – of our time, our talents, our possessions and our service.
Sung Response: Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us
Lord have mercy upon us, grant us peace.
Longsuffering Lord,
We pay you lip service, not life service,
dabbling with our designer diets,
fussing over famine lunches,
we cut out the extras and give up
our daily ration of ‘goodies’ –
play acting at poverty.
In this sacrificial season
change us in mind and heart,
so that the discomfort of Jesus’ love
penetrates our comfortable lives
and instead of hoarding our riches
in straw-filled barns, grudgingly
sharing our surplus with those in need,
we learn the true meaning of living for others
as we journey with Jesus to the Cross.
Sung response: Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us
Lord have mercy upon us, grant us peace.
Words of Assurance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
To all those who turn to him, Jesus says:
“Your sins are forgiven”.
He also says: “Follow me”
Carol Dixon
*Poustinia
Lent is generally recognised as a season of spiritual renewal, when we look once again at our relationship with God and try to discover a healthy balance of work, rest and prayer. In so doing, we can rediscover God’s perspective on life, and find ways of forsaking worldly values, in order to live more sacrificially. In engaging on this spiritual quest, we could create our own ‘poustinia’. The word is Russian and it means ‘desert’. However it doesn’t mean a sandy waste. In Russian, it has the connotation of the 4th century Egyptian desert fathers who went our into the wilderness focus totally on God – much as some of the early Celtic monks did on bleak islands around Britain. To a Russian, a poustinia was a lonely place where salience 7 solitude could be found, where ‘heaven meets earth’. However it was not necessarily situated away from the village. Some people remained in their own homes and would go to a particular spot each day in order to pray and meditate and enter into a time of inner pilgrimage. It is a place of utter simplicity, free of distractions. The Russian poustinik would have no books or pictures, except possibly and icon and only the Bible to read. They would read it on their knees, unmindful of any academic questions of interpretation for tot them the Bible was the incarnation of the Word. In creating our poustinia, three things should be borne in mind: we must recognise that this is God’s place, a hallowed place, where we retreat specifically to seek God.
Information supplied by the Northumbria Community from Poustinia by Catherine de Hueck Doherty’, used with permission of Fr Robert Wild, Madonna House, Combermere, Ontario. (© United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook 2003, used with permission.)
Desert-ed by God
[Isaiah 55 1-9; Psalm 63 1-8; I Cor 10 1-13]
The desert is hot and arid,
it saps my strength,
my eyes burn for a glimpse of God;
Parched I pant for pools of living water;
I long to lounge again by the life-giving streams,
and let God’s provident love flood my life.
Bountiful God,
renewer of our strength in times of testing,
you provide bread for our journey,
and springs of water in the hard places
if only we know where to look;
Forgive our flagging faith,
turn our fasting to feasting,
remove our stone-filled sandals
and humbly wash our feet,
until restored, renewed and re-invigorated
we walk with those who stumble on stony paths,
and plant seeds of joyful hope
in the desert places of our world.
Pray for countries hit by frequent droughts, for those trying to scratch a living from desert land; Pray for people forced to travel miles to seek water and those whose water supplies are polluted and unsafe.
(Carol Dixon ©United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook 2003, used with permission)
The above post was used with permission by © 2021, URC Prayer Handbook; Conversations, The United Reformed Church.
Photo above by Ahna Ziegler on unsplash.com
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I recently awoke from a dream – it was the briefest of scenes. I saw Jesus holding a vessel filled with the Balm of Gilead. He was looking so excited and I asked him, “Are you looking forward to using that when you come to earth?” And he responded, “Oh yes, I am!” It was shortly before he was going to be conceived in the womb of Mary and he was thinking about everyone he would heal when he came to earth. I had this dream about a week before Christmas.
This was a very special Advent for me. In fact, we began with our decorations and reflections, including the most beautiful music, in November and decided to keep up our decorations well into January. In fact, our Christmas tree is still sparkling in the lounge. Why would we decide to keep Christmas in our home for so long? Well, it’s been a time we need the story of Christmas so very much. I was also gifted with the Godspace Advent Retreat and used this time for journaling, lighting my candle and joining in creatively with Christine Sine’s suggestions, even with the recommended shawl around the shoulders, though it is summer here. We’ve been having a reasonably cool summer in Cape Town, South Africa. Hot days of course! But also the lovely coolth of a breeze, or an unusual cold front when we don’t usually have rain this time of year. I appreciate the rain and take time to watch it falling on the thirsty ground. I appreciate a recent sight of clouds spilling over from the ocean across the mountains into our valley and filling the valley with moisture, a phenomenon which usually only occurs in Autumn here.
Going back to the dream I had… what an unusual dream to have and such a vivid picture at that. For me to see the anticipation of Jesus as he imagined coming to earth in the womb of Mary, being born and growing up, spreading his healing love wherever he went. This made me think more about the Balm of Gilead, what is it exactly?
“In the Old Testament, Gilead was the name of the mountainous region east of the Jordan River. This region was known for having skillful physicians and an ointment made from the gum of a tree particular to that area. Many believed that this balm had miraculous powers to heal the body. In the book of Jeremiah, God tells the people of Israel that though many believe in the mysterious healing power of this balm, they can’t trust in those powers for spiritual healing or as a relief of their oppression. He reminds them that He is ultimately in control, and only He can relieve their suffering. In the New Testament, God answers the suffering of His people by sending His own son to take our place. Jesus becomes our “balm in Gilead.” It is Him we are called to turn to in our times of trial for healing and comfort. We sing this song with that assurance: no matter our hardships or supposed shortcomings, Jesus loves us enough to take our suffering upon Himself.” (There Is a Balm in Gilead | Hymnary.org)
I remembered hearing a hymn about the Balm in Gilead, and looked it up. It is an African-American spiritual… here are the words:
“There is a balm in Gilead,
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead,
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged,
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.
If you cannot preach like Peter,
If you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
And say He died for all.
Don’t ever feel discouraged,
‘Cause Jesus is your friend,
And if you lack for knowledge,
He’ll not refuse to lend.”
For me, this dream showed me a perspective of Jesus I had never thought about from this particular vantage point. What was it like for Jesus as he left the harmony and love of Heaven, to be transformed into a tiny baby growing in Mary’s womb? To transition from his heavenly body to his earthly body, all for the glory set before him? And for me to see Jesus looking so intently at this balm, which was a sign of his ultimate redemptive power as our Healer? There is no balm anywhere on earth that is able to completely heal us the way that Jesus can. He is the culmination of our every hope, and our true Healer.
The world around us is in desperate need of his healing power. Some of you may have experienced the pandemic more close to home in that you may have contracted the illness, or may have family and friends who were ill and even passed away. Just this past week, my husband’s close friend passed away from Covid and left so many disorientated with grief, thinking about this larger than life caring and loving human being who passed away a few days short of his 50th birthday.
You may also be in need of healing. For we have all gone through a tremendous disorientating change. We have been under lockdowns, and restrictions. People have lost their jobs and their sense of security. We are in need of the healing power of Christ.
A few nights ago, we watched a movie about Mr. Rogers, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. He was one of my childhood favourites. I grew up for part of my childhood in North Vancouver, British Columbia. And when we watched this film, I sometimes found myself in floods of tears. It must have triggered a memory of the calming love Mr. Rogers used to share with his viewers. Of the compassion and acceptance that came through the screen in such a tangible way. But it was also observing him in this film, on his knees praying for people by name, and mentioning them in the presence of the Father.
Let us take time to pray for the people in hospitals… and hospices, and in homes who are struggling with illness and those who are caring for them. Let us take time to intercede on behalf of those who are struggling to take a breath, or who are feeling that life is being taken from them too soon. Let us pray for Jesus, the true Balm of Gilead, to anoint each one.
Prayer practice:
Take some olive oil, coconut oil or any other base oil you may have in your home. If you have some lavender essential oil, or an essential oil blend, you may use this as well. Place some drops of oil in the palms of your hands and as you rub your palms together, you can say this prayer:
Jesus, you are the Balm of Gilead,
You anoint my wounds.
You are the Great Healer,
I invite you into my wounds.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
I anoint myself with the healing of Christ,
I anoint myself with the healing of Spirit,
I anoint myself with the healing of Father.
I pray for my needs and the needs of my family,
I pray for my needs and the needs of my friends,
I pray for my needs and the needs of the world.
Be anointed with Shalom Peace,
Be anointed by Yaweh-Rapha, the God who heals,
Be anointed with the Breath of Spirit,
Be anointed by the embrace of the Father.
Jesus, you are the Balm of Gilead
You anoint my wounds,
You are the Great Healer,
I invite you into my wounds.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
Make the bitter waters sweet,
Carry my exhaustion and fatigue,
Heal the worries of my mind.
Enliven my body and my soul,
Carry my grief and my tears,
Pour your balm over the whole world.
Heal the broken-hearted
and bind up our wounds.
Heal the weary
and carry our sins.
Heal the sick
and raise us to life again.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
Holy Spirit, your presence is here.
Amen.
Listen to this healing music while you pray, from Abide:
Listen to Balm in Gilead by Debra Liv Johnson:
Listen to ‘There is a Balm in Gilead’, sung unaccompanied by The Adventist Vocal Ensemble:
Photo from Pexels by Mareefe
Our newest course, Time to Heal Online Course, is available now for purchase! This course provides 5 sessions with Christine Sine, Lilly Lewin, and Bethany Dearborn Hiser each with different approaches and practices to assist in processing grief and healing.
by Christine Sine
Today, I sacrificed a one of my precious masks for the sake of Ash Wednesday. Normally I burn a stack of palm crosses and fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebration just as many churches do. This year, there are no crosses or fronds because we had just begun our COVID lockdown. So this year, one of my masks that had passed their use by date seemed like a fitting substitute.
Ready to burn the masks
This year’s ritual has had a profound impact on me that I wanted to share with you. As I look back to the beginning of the lockdown last year, I am reminded of how grateful we all were for our masks. They protected us and our loved ones and brought us life, just as Christ’s death on the Cross still protects us from the consequences of our brokenness and brings us into the life of the kingdom of God.
Enjoying the burn
However, as I burn my masks, I am also reminded of the fickleness that the palm fronds and crosses and masks represent. Like many who shouted joyously as they followed Jesus into Jerusalem, I would probably have been ready to crucify him by the end of the week. Human nature is so fickle and we don’t have to look back 2,000 years to see that. We are sick of our masks and would like to burn them, might I say, to crucify them.
The deed is done – mask is burned
As I prepared for my little ritual, it was not hard to imagine that the little pile of ashes I end up with symbolized death as we have certainly seen a lot of death this year. We prepare for Lent with a symbol of death. We literally rub it on our faces. We end Lent preparing for a death – the death of Christ on the Cross. Lent surrounds us with a circle of death, but that same circle is a circle of life, life of the kingdom of God that the season of Lent is preparing us for. Maybe we should be rubbing that on our faces, too, because our journey will not end when Lent ends. In fact, it will just be beginning. We are preparing for life not for death, we are preparing for the kingdom not for the Cross.
You may not want to burn some of your masks on Wednesday. You might prefer, as our church, St Andrews Episcopal church in Seattle encouraged us to do, to build an Ash Wednesday Bonfire at Home with a time of confession but ending with roasting of marshmallows. I have decided to incorporate this as well and as you can see in the photos, I am burning a few post-it notes with my “confessions” on them as well. This is a process I always find very therapeutic, so with the two practices combined I feel I am well prepared for the beginning of Lent on Wednesday.
What Is Your Response?
Whatever you decide to do, as you begin Lent this year, take time to reflect on your focus. Are you thinking about the sacrifices you will need to make and the things you will give up, or are you focused on the new life those sacrifices make possible? What practices will do you plan to institute to keep your focus on life rather than death?
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