Kirkwood United Church of Christ

“Blessed are the gentle: they shall inherit the land… Blessed are they whose hearts are clean: they will see God” – Matthew 5:5, 8

Hold on to your hearts, for we are about to receive an awesome gift: that is, the intentional opportunity to take a step back, reflect on our inner selves, repent for what we’d like to leave behind, and clear the way for a more liberated and reconciled life ahead. The gift will last about six weeks, and if it’s taken seriously, it could turn out to be a gift that keeps on giving.

On Wednesday, February 22, we will begin the church season of Lent with the observance of Ash Wednesday. Lent will continue for six weeks, through Maundy Thursday, or the commemoration of the Last Supper, which falls on April 5th this year. Now, traditionally the season of Lent, a period of time focused on self awareness and repentance, centers on practices of self-discipline, such as giving up something you enjoy, or giving out to others in need. These are fine ways to focus on the season, and I encourage you to consider engaging in one of them if it speaks to you.

Here’s an alternative: I recently came across a wonderful book entitled, “Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit”, by Paula Huston. Ms. Huston suggests that practicing a posture of humility is the key to Lenten practices, rather than focusing on growth in spiritual greatness. She provides a list of spiritual practices for us to keep during the season, including ways to simplify space, our minds, use of money, care for our bodies, schedules, relationships, and prayer. These practices are meant to keep us centered on a Lent that is holy and built around humility.

Paula Huston writes, “Truly humble people are grounded in reality; they neither preen under illusions of greatness nor suffer agonies of self-hatred…Freed from the terrible frustrations that accompany idealistic perfectionism…we quietly accept the truth of who we are: weak human beings, prone to fail and tempted toward evil, yet at the same time, filled with an almost unbearable longing for goodness, love and intimacy with God.”

Perhaps this Lenten season could provide us with a unique opportunity to learn more about what humility is, as well as how to practice it in our everyday lives. As I mentioned earlier, done with a spirit of respect and curiosity, this year’s Lenten season could be the gift that keeps on giving.

God’s peace, Betsy

i. Huston, Paula. Simplifying the Soul: Lenten Practices to Renew Your Spirit, Ava Maria Press, Notre dame, IN, 2011, p. xii.