Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Stories - with Kaitlin B. Curtice

Home
Progressive Christian
Spread Your Ashes & Unbridle Your Spirit: life in this lenten season

Spread Your Ashes & Unbridle Your Spirit: life in this lenten season

Last updated on: February 10, 2016 at 8:00 am by Kaitlin B. Curtice

Spread Your Ashes & Unbridle Your Spirit: life in this lenten season 2016-02-10T08:00:00-04:00 Kaitlin B. Curtice

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

FullSizeRender

After a difficult morning in the city, I went to Woodland Gardens, parked my car, and walked a small path, turning circular through the little wooded area.

Everything was dead except for a few patches of green, a few ivy vines stretching from the edge of the path to the sides of my feet.

But there, along the path on the way back to the car, I saw a large log resting sideways, eyeing me, asking me to notice him there.

FullSizeRender

His outer shell was gray, dead with the cool of winter.

But inside, that inner spot of bark was an orange color, a living-flesh color.

And so I stopped and sat on a wooden bench near a shaded area where the sun was poking her fingers through, reminding me that she was above me and behind me always.

And I sat and prayed to be awake, for the soul that sits alive within me to let itself be known to my outer shell, to those withering parts that ache to see fresh life.

And I said, “Oh, God, wake me up! Wake me up to my senses, to nature, to my own history.”

Today is Ash Wednesday.

Some of us will spread a black cross over our foreheads, admit that we are small and in need of something bigger than that smallness, richer than our dust.

And so with the beginning of Lent this year, can we promise each other something?

Can we promise to share our story with somebody, to pay attention to our own story,

to claim that we really are alive inside these shells?

To know our own story, our own history, our own dead and alive parts is to engage the world.

This Lenten season may be more about finding our aliveness in our smallness.

Jesus gathered his closest friends in the days leading to his death, and he made sure they knew his story- a mysterious one, but full of his heart and his flesh, nonetheless.

For this Lenten season, let’s ask what light has gone out of us.

Let’s find the broken connections, and decide what must be mended for us to feel whole.

If you need to be reminded that you are small, hike into the mountains around you and feel the towering trees say, “We’ve seen it all.”

And if you need to discover your worth, that your soul is capable of growth and wisdom and new life, let it happen.

If we are being asking to let something go, to let our souls freely walk, freely run, freely speak, we might just find healing.

Let the adventure consume you,

and let it start in these forty days of Lent,

when we wait for death to ultimately bring life back to all the worst and best parts of our humanity.

FullSizeRender

Into your presence we come, Lord,
a few moments of quietness
in a busy world
that demands our attention.
Breathe on us now,
that we might know your presence
and your power
to see this day through.

Amen.

–Faith and Worship Liturgy

Adventure

Community & One Another

Previous Post

February 8, 2016

Admitting We're Lonely: the unknown shape of friendship

Next Post

February 11, 2016 40 Days of Lent: day one, lent for my weariness

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent 2016 Adventure Community & One Another Contemplation Lent 2016 Lessons Motherhood Native American Heritage Month 2017 Native American Spirituality Politics & Social Justice Prayer Remembrance Seven Gratitudes Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 August 2013 March 2013 February 2013 November 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz