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February 09, 2005
Lenten Journey 2005...
Two years ago, Lent 2003, a friend was led to begin a morning ritual called the Monastic Lenten Journey. From 6:30-7:30 every weekday morning, a group of us got together to practice an abridged and altered form Lectio Devina. We would use some of St. Francis‘ teachings with a little St. Ignatius thrown in for good measure. We would journal and discuss our thoughts. We were learning to practice ancient disciplines of solitude…but together.
It was new to me. In fact, Lent (except fot the name) was a pretty new concept to me as well. But this time — this communal, or corporate solitude with other believers — became one of the most spiritually fruitful times I have ever experienced.
When Easter came and went, a few of us decided to continue our journey together. We changed the name of our little get-togethers to Matins (morning prayer) and, until the summer of 2004, there were at least two of us at church from 6:30-7:30 every weekday morning.
This year, Lent is going to be embraced by our entire community in ways that I think the early Matins journey could have only inspired. But now, instead of Matins, we are going to meet for Vespers (evening prayer). This year is also different in that a different person will be facilitating each evening, providing a different take on what it means to practice corporate solitude. I’ll be facilitating Friday evenings.
If you’d like a better run-down of what we will be doing than I have provided here, please visit Tim Keel’s Blog and read this.
I am really looking forward to this Lenten season and I pray that it is a journey that moves us all in may ways.
On a final note, this Friday, Jacob’s Well is hosting an art exhibit showcasing pieces (images, sound, etc.) that have been inspired by our recent study of the Gospel of Mark. I can’t wait!
Posted at 1:04 pm
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Deb () (URL) - February 09, 2005 at 5:31 pm
timsamoff () (URL) - February 10, 2005 at 07:55 am
As you may know, Lent is set as a time of fasting and self-denial from foods and other legitimate pleasures. Shrove Tuesday, being the last pre-Lent day, is supposed to serve two purposes: (1) a time for the enjoyment of the pleasures forbidden in Lent, and (2) an opportunity to make confession of sins before the beginning of the 40 holy days.
If anything, the Lord’s Day is a weekly Easter. (“Easter” is not our favorite word for commemorating the resurrection of Christ since it is taken from the name of a medieval pagan goddess! Most churches in the OPC do observe that day, not out of duty but of choice and service.)
Another even more basic reason for our non-observance of Lent (and therefore of Shrove Tuesday) is that Lent is supposed to be a time of penance, which in Catholic thinking has the implication of atoning for our sins through self-denial and suffering. But we are convinced from Scripture that Jesus atoned for ALL the sins of his people by his death on the cross. Sorrow for sin is in order any time we sin, but atoning for our sin, in the least sense, is an affront to our Lord who paid for all his people’s sin (Romans 3:19-26; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, and Hebrews 7:25).
I recognize that I’ve given more than you asked, but I feel obliged to bear witness against anything that would detract from the honor of the one and only Savior of mankind. I hope this will be useful to you. (DA)
Dennisthemenace () - February 10, 2005 at 5:12 pm
