Yesterday, we looked at Ash Wednesday as the beginning of Lent (40 days
prior to Easter, not including Sundays).
Yet, one day isn’t enough to grieve all our losses and name our
longings. This is a daily invitation to
be honest with God. Recently, I heard of
a youth pastor who began each gathering with middle school youth with a prayer
practice.
First, she asked the middle schoolers to complete this sentence: God,
I don't understand ______ and let them fill in whatever they wanted. What don’t you understand today? War?
Hatred? Hurting/mocking others? Your family member who posts AI-generated
slop online like they’ve discovered the holy grail?
Secondly, she had each person complete this sentence: God, please fix
______. What would you like God to
swoop in and save the day, restore, and reconcile? I know one response my shy soul whispers is,
“me!”
The third prompt, God, I will trust you with my future even if _______. Even if God doesn’t repair or respond
according to our best-laid plans. Lent
is a time to return to trust and how difficult/demanding trust is for us.
The fourth, final, prompt is like number three, God I will praise you
even when _____. This points out the
ambiguity and mystery of faith. Faith is
about non-duality. Things are not
either/or, but rather both/and. There is
goodness and great suffering today. There is holiness and hatred. There is delight and discrimination.
I offer this prayer practice for you this day, this week, and to continue
to hold onto this for the rest of the year.
Amen.
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