Some serious thoughts on Lent

I do get serious occasionally. Here's something to ponder from the "Renewed for Life" Daily Lenten Meditations from the works of Henri J.M. Nouwen. If you can find this in your church, snap it up! It's a day-by-day meditation through Lent.

This is St. Joseph's day and in the Catholic Church, as well as some others, St. Joseph is frequently referred to as the patron saint of carpenters. The verse used is Psalm 42:1 -

As a deer longs for flowing streams,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

We are all seaching for something, but sometimes we don't have the faintest idea of what it is. We just can't conceptualize what is is that will make us happy. We only know when we get it we'll be happy. I don't know about you, but that doesn't work for me. Deers need streams to live - it's their water source, and they don't sit around for a stream to come to them, they go the stream. They know where streams are and they go to them. Like the deer, we where the streams are, but we just wait for them to come to us. Why, I don't know, maybe it is human pride. Maybe we are uncomfortable actually talking to God outside our prescribed time in church.

Quakers do a very good job of it, I think. They don't talk as much as they listen. If you'd read any Quaker books or articles you'd understand. If I weren't an Episkie I'd be a Quaker, but I don't know what I'd do with that almost irrational love of ritual, or my Book of Common Prayer.


I don't actually hear the voice of God (although I think he would sound like Morgan Freeman) but there is always a calm that comes over me and my mind clears. Then, tada! Things seem very clear. I think Bob Marley said it best (yesh, I am a huge Bob Marley fan and if the Men's Club ever does a Caribbean/Reggae night I am soooo there!)

I Can See Clearly Now, by Bob Marley

I can see clearly
now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day
Oh yes I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin' for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-shiny day look all around, there's nothin' but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin' but blue skies
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is the rainbow I've been prayin' for
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day
bright (bright), bright (bright),

Sun-Shiny day
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day It's gonna be a bright (bright),
bright (bright) Sun-Shiny day

At least I think these are the right lyrics - it's been awhile.

Yes I also have One World stuck somewhere in the recesses of my mind.