Through the pandemic and the turmoil of the last year -
The isolation of the pandemic didn't slow Catherine Meaks down. Indeed, her reach was broadened as she wrote essays on Facebook, recorded inspirational videos, taught workshops on Zoom, and connected with folks around the country and the world.
Here is an example of Catherine's inspiring words -
Her February 23 Facebook post challenging us to look at Lent differently. Her words challenge us to continue the introspective work long beyond the 40 days of Lent.
What Is Lent To The Person With Their Back Against The Wall?
Of late, I have been haunted by the need to look deeper into some of the things that I have been doing regarding my faith journey and Lent is one of those things.
For years, I have listened to folks around me talk about giving up things like chocolate, wine, Facebook or whatever for Lent and all of that sounded superficial to me and I never saw the need to do any of it.
This year I have wondered what Lent means to the person who is living under a bridge some place or the person without health care and who is facing a health crisis? What is Lent to the person with their back against the wall? What is Lent to the African American mother whose child has been killed by police for a handful of flimsy reasons? What is Lent to the prisoner?
What is their response to be? I hardly think that it has anything to do with chocolate or wine.
As I understand it, Lent is to be a time of deep reflection and interrogation about what our life with God and the community is really about. A time to look at our inner community and see how we are engaging all of the competing energies that are housed deep in our souls. A time to see what we really think of our fellow pilgrims who are on this journey with us.
Recently, I learned about the idea of Lent having a much longer time frame than forty days and during that time the entire community gathered for communal reflections designed to help them to get right with God so they could be pleasing to God. What an idea, a community standing in solidarity to pursue being the people that God would find pleasing. The community would bring all of its negativity to the Lenten process and engage in collective work to move beyond whatever hindered them from being on the path in a more pleasing way to God and they worked together to achieve their intention.
I pray for the courage and conviction to stay with the reflective interrogation of myself and the Church. I pray for the courage and conviction not to entertain easy answers that try to avoid the real questions. I pray for the courage and conviction to allow Lent to be for me what is for a family who lives below the radar screen because they are unacceptable. I want to go deeper into the depths of Lent and allow it to work as it should in helping to facilitate resurrection in my heart and soul.
I am seeking a new way to see through the eyes of those whose eyes are considered unworthy. I am looking for you on the journey.
