This is the time of tension between dying and birth.” So writes T. S. Eliot in his well-known poem, “Ash Wednesday.” If you understand the meaning of his words, paying attention to word order, then you probably can understand much of what I say in homilies. Another line from the poem which deserves to be remembered is a prayer: "Teach us to care and not to care / Teach us to still still." Again, if you understand how to care and not to care, then I would say that you probably have some maturity and prudence. As for sitting still, I can think of no practice during Lent that is as important as "sitting still."
All of the external disciplines of Lent (such as fasting and abstinence from meat) are meaningless or of no benefit without interior discipline: love of God; charity and mercy towards every being; attentiveness to divine presence; resolve to do God’s will faithfully; self-control from passions that destroy inner peace. Making the effort, day after day, to “sit still” is the essential spiritual discipline which we will emphasize during Lent.
Sitting still may also take the form, at least some of the time, in walking quietly. In periods of sitting, it is spiritually and physically to walk with mindfulness, perhaps attending to nature’s beauty and harmony. To sit still, begin in a quiet place in your home, turning off all electronic devices, and closing one’s own mouth and that of others. (I cannot imagine sitting quietly when children are noisy or moving about, but a few of you may have learned to ignore such distractions while meditating.) The noisiest noise comes from within your own mind. You may hear thoughts and feelings and gurgling stomachs, but do not attend to them, let the noise drift down the stream of forgetfulness. Inner silence is a supreme discipline. Sitting still outwardly is a necessary step in building inner silence and peace.
A few particulars: For our ranchers, busy with calving during Lent, perhaps a few minutes can be found between demanding duties. Being mindful of what one is doing, and carrying out one’s duties without complaint, is for all of us a beneficial discipline. As for food and drink, I think that it is more beneficial to choose moderation over strict fasting; I learned the hard way. As for days of abstinence from meat: remember to avoid luxuries, such as expensive sea food. Eating a humble hamburger is more in the spirit of abstinence, as it is intended, then dining on lobster or crab legs. Use days of abstaining from meat to aim at simplicity and to remember the needy. We will hear in prayers at Mass that “Lent is a season of grace.” It can be, if we cooperate. Grace is not automatic, but always requires our free cooperation. Lent can be a season of neurosis and anxiety if we approach it legalistically.
Savor each day, seeing it as a unique gift of God. And so it is. “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” “live in peace with everyone, to the extent possible,” “be mindful of the poor,” and “remember your Creator and your day of death.” These are spiritual practices worth cultivating today and always.
All of the external disciplines of Lent (such as fasting and abstinence from meat) are meaningless or of no benefit without interior discipline: love of God; charity and mercy towards every being; attentiveness to divine presence; resolve to do God’s will faithfully; self-control from passions that destroy inner peace. Making the effort, day after day, to “sit still” is the essential spiritual discipline which we will emphasize during Lent.
Sitting still may also take the form, at least some of the time, in walking quietly. In periods of sitting, it is spiritually and physically to walk with mindfulness, perhaps attending to nature’s beauty and harmony. To sit still, begin in a quiet place in your home, turning off all electronic devices, and closing one’s own mouth and that of others. (I cannot imagine sitting quietly when children are noisy or moving about, but a few of you may have learned to ignore such distractions while meditating.) The noisiest noise comes from within your own mind. You may hear thoughts and feelings and gurgling stomachs, but do not attend to them, let the noise drift down the stream of forgetfulness. Inner silence is a supreme discipline. Sitting still outwardly is a necessary step in building inner silence and peace.
A few particulars: For our ranchers, busy with calving during Lent, perhaps a few minutes can be found between demanding duties. Being mindful of what one is doing, and carrying out one’s duties without complaint, is for all of us a beneficial discipline. As for food and drink, I think that it is more beneficial to choose moderation over strict fasting; I learned the hard way. As for days of abstinence from meat: remember to avoid luxuries, such as expensive sea food. Eating a humble hamburger is more in the spirit of abstinence, as it is intended, then dining on lobster or crab legs. Use days of abstaining from meat to aim at simplicity and to remember the needy. We will hear in prayers at Mass that “Lent is a season of grace.” It can be, if we cooperate. Grace is not automatic, but always requires our free cooperation. Lent can be a season of neurosis and anxiety if we approach it legalistically.
Savor each day, seeing it as a unique gift of God. And so it is. “Do not let the sun go down on your anger,” “live in peace with everyone, to the extent possible,” “be mindful of the poor,” and “remember your Creator and your day of death.” These are spiritual practices worth cultivating today and always.
