February 19, 2014 WBAS Topics Prayer, WBAS Cat Prayers & Reflections, WBAS Topics Virtues & Values, REL Seasons - Lent
By: Kathy Hendricks
Some people start their day with coffee and the newspaper. Mine begins with orange juice and my journal. The cat is usually waiting for me to settle into my favorite chair. She then nestles beside me while I do some spiritual reading and then write my entry for the day. It’s a nice, gentle routine that places me on solid footing once I step into my day.
As Lent approaches, I am even more aware of the value of this regimen. Lent is a time for spiritual practices to become even more sharply focused, and so I generally take on some additional reading during the season. The journaling remains an anchor point, however. In addition to looking toward what lies ahead, I gain perspective by reading my letter from the day before. More than once I have been struck by the way in which my reflections have shaped the day. Journaling has been a cherished practice for decades
My son once joked that, should I end up in a nursing home and forget who I am, he would bring me my journals. It’s actually not a bad idea. It echoes what the great mystic, Catherine of Siena, advised: “Make two homes for yourself… One actual home… and another spiritual home… to carry with you always.” My journals bring me home.
As a spiritual director, my feedback to directees is often the same. After listening to their questions and concerns, I generally end up advising reflection. Whether it is writing in a journal or engaging in formal prayer, meditation, walking, or simply being, the important thing is take the advice of another great saint. “Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” (Francis de Sales) This all seems like a no-brainer. After all, if my cat gets it, why don’t the rest of us? Nonetheless, our fast-paced culture tends to militate against reflection. It’s “onto the next” ... and the next… and the next… until we look around and wonder where our life went.
Someone once noted the reason so many people show up for Ash Wednesday services is because everyone gets something. I wonder, however, if it doesn’t run deeper – a hope and a hunger for a spiritual home where we find the inner peace we all long for. Lent is a great reminder that the only way there is through a reflective life.
Bright Ideas
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As Lent approaches, consider the kind of reflection you can fit into your daily routine. Talk about this with your family or class.
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Download my Prayer of Lenten Reflection, and use it in your parish or home.