This publish is by Lisa Kelly, as she prepares to start An Ignatian Prayer Journey.
The eyes of a penitent decrease as a blackened thumb outlines the form of a cross throughout the brow. And with the solemn phrases, “Bear in mind you’re mud, and to mud you shall return,” the journey of Lent begins.
I need to admit I had by no means actually considered Lent as an “journey” earlier than. However this invitation to do the eight-week Ignatian Prayer Journey drew me in. What if Lent weren’t about simply that point earlier than Easter, refraining from meat, or going to Reconciliation? What if it weren’t all centered on sins and struggling and sacrifice? What if as a substitute it had been a journey—a 40-day journey? An journey?
Webster’s dictionary has two definitions for the noun “journey.” The primary is an endeavor often involving hazard or unknown dangers. Seeing as how that is an journey whereby my “mode of transportation” shall be half-hour of prayer every day in my prayer area, I needn’t fear in regards to the bodily dangers of this journey. In actual fact, the one factor I’m risking is my time and my coronary heart, a coronary heart that always aches for depth of understanding and love. The second definition, nonetheless, is far much less foreboding: an thrilling or outstanding expertise. Bear in mind that is Lent we’re speaking about right here. In case you don’t often affiliate the phrases “thrilling” or “outstanding” with Lent, then you definitely haven’t been strolling this highway with Ignatius very lengthy.
Standing on the precipice of eight weeks of prayer with the Non secular Workout routines is like standing on the sting of the Shire with the world of each good and evil and principally unknown laying earlier than you. You may keep put in your Hobbit gap and simply have a typical Lent, take part in all of the rituals, and discover that Holy Thursday comes within the blink of a watch with you just about the identical particular person come Easter Monday as you’re at the moment. Or you’ll be able to sit in your Ignatian creativeness and change into conscious of the thrill and curiosity that nicely up inside you as Jesus provides to be your touring companion on this journey.
Think about a 40-day journey with Jesus proper there with you every single day: time for simply the 2 of you to road-trip collectively. Every day will supply completely different vistas on life, new invites to think about, some rocky paths to climb, and many train on your soul. You needn’t pack a lot—a Bible, perhaps a journal, and a devoted area to wish. Every day you’ll make it somewhat farther down this path to who is aware of the place God is looking you. Instantly Lent shouldn’t be the down facet of Mardi Gras, however essentially the most thrilling and outstanding factor to occur to you in a very long time. With all of the spirit of Bilbo Baggins, it’s time to shout, “I’m off on an journey—by Lent!”
