by Mary Ann Barrett OP; Introduction by Mindy Hills, PhD
Lent is a time of grace, renewal, and conversion.
The word for Lent is rooted in a Middle English word for spring. The physical reality of spring reinforces what we need in our spiritual lives. For forty days we are invited to shake off the dust that has weighed down our spirits and hindered our growth.
We let the cleansing rain of prayer and fasting and almsgiving remind us that God needs to be the center of our lives.
Like a good gardener, we prepare the soil of our hearts to accept the seeds of kindness, openness, and faithfulness that Jesus longs to plant in his followers.
The yearly change in the seasons is a reminder that we need the same movement in our spiritual lives. And, thankfully, we don’t have to walk this path alone.
Sister Mary Ann Barrett, OP, invites us to follow Jesus through Lent as, together, we seek new growth and a fruitful, freshness as life returns to the earth and to each one of us.
Following Jesus Through Lent
We are Disciples – listeners and learners,
perfected by multiple and varied struggles.
We are Apostles – messengers commissioned
to “preach” God’s Reign through their lives.
We are Evangelists – witnesses focused on the Word,
living among God’s holy people.
So, we act “in secret,” not looking for rewards.
We avoid places of honor and serve on the outskirts.
Intent on seeing and being a Blessing.
As apostles, we are called
To be ready for a lifetime of Collaboration, Crises and Joy,
To be schooled in Dialogue and Second Chances,
To be prepared for Hardships and Pardons,
To be alert for Temptations and Openings,
To be attentive to God’s Miracles throughout the Universe.
Intent on seeing God in our midst.
As followers, we are called
To be awed by Ashes and Crosses,
To be awed by God standing in front of us,
To be awed by Blessings and Outpourings of Grace.
To Drink from the well of Stillness,
To Drink from the well of Truth,
To Drink from the well of Mercy.
To Fast from Fear, Feast on Trust,
To Fast from Gossip, Feast on purposeful Silence,
To Fast from consumerism, Feast on conservation.
Intent on piercing the shadows.
As disciples, we are called
To See with God’s eyes,
To Look into the heart for love,
To Infuse the darkness with holy light,
To Wash in the waters for InSight,
To Come to the water for Anointing.
Intent on shedding the ravages of death.
As evangelizers, we are called
To Encounter the Spirit of God within and around us,
To Weep together over the sorrows of life,
To Open the graves of complacency and complicity,
To Rise up against deadly attitudes and toxic practices,
To Free up the courage to live out our beliefs.
Intent on professing our Love.
As followers, we are called
To Walk the Way of the Cross,
To Passionately choose Life,
To Embrace life as transformed Sinners,
To Risk being Wounded healers,
To Create community as women and men,
younger and older,
ethnically diverse,
inclusive of race, tribe, nation.
Praise God who calls all of us – “Beloved.”
