The Last Lent

“If I had known that this was my last Lent, my last Easter, and my last months on earth, I would have done things differently. I would have…”  You would have done what? What would you do differently, if you knew that this Lent is your last Lent on earth, and your final Easter is coming in a few weeks? Would you do anything differently in your life? Would you prepare to meet God beyond death? If so, how? Or would you want to remain exactly as you are?  Are you truly ready to end your life here, and to enter only into God’s Life? “NOW is the day of salvation.” “Not tomorrow, not today, but now.”  LORD, today you grace me—even now. Every moment of yours, every moment with You, is an eternal Now—a new Beginning, the final End. You are here now, and do I truly care? Do I really care enough to meet You, to strive to enter into your peace, into your Life?  Am I prepared to meet you “face to face”? Am I prepared to end my life on earth in the coming weeks, and to enter fully into your Life beyond this world, leaving behind all that I have known? During this, the last Lent, I want to meet You, listen to You, obey You, love You, care for your little ones. I desire to seek You more truly, and to find You in seeking You, and to rejoice in finding You far more than in whatever this present life has to offer. All that I do, I want to do with You, and ultimately for You. The rest is passing away. You, LORD God, and You alone, abide, endure forever. The last Lent is here now. Surely it is the last Lent for some of us, although probably unknown to us in our daily lives. A few days of preparation are given to me, to all of us, to seek and to enjoy God’s friendship. Open my heart, YHWH God, as I listen to and ponder your Word during this Lent. Help me not just to go through the motions of worshiping You, but truly to open up and to bow my heart in your divine Presence. Help me to be attentive to your voice. As I study your word, study in me and with me, that I may understand You and your will, and love You more truly.