Clergy Notes — Fifth Sunday in Lent, April 3 2022
How is it with your soul, after four weeks in the wilderness?
Are you finding moments of silence, of solitude, to wait upon the Spirit of God? Or, are you like me, with a schedule that makes it all too easy to say, “I was too busy; I’ll do it later” ?
Often I find when things are getting crazy, that if I notice I have missed my prayer time, it is very tempting to say to myself that I will do it “later.” But these “laters” rarely ever come, as I’ve learned the hard way! If we let too many “laters” slip by, our souls begin to be parched and we wither and become very weary indeed. Perhaps you know all too well what I mean?
It is remarkable how much God can do with very, very little. Even when we offer up a mere few minutes, even a few breaths of prayer, our gracious Lord will bring forth from the dry rock of our heart a flowing stream. Suddenly our eyes clear, our soul is refreshed, and our breathing is a little easier.
Prayer does not clear our problems away, of course, but it does seem to somehow make them more bearable… because through it we remember that we are not carrying them on our own; in fact, we ourselves are being carried by the One who has already borne all the weight of the world from the height of Calvary.
One of my favourite prayers is the ancient Jesus prayer, a treasure from the Desert Fathers and Mothers. If you only have a few moments in your busy day, perhaps try praying this lovely, simple prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Pray it three times, with a deep breath in between each repetition, and notice the change in your posture, your heart, your breath. Notice with wonder how much God can do with so very, very little.
