= along these lines =
to launch us into lent
In the turbulence of our own lives and the unsettled waters of the world today
let there be new birthings of your spirit.
prayers from the iona community
We are all overwrought by the pace at which news items change and the immensity of some of them.
We are overwrought in knowing how to pray.
And now we find ourselves once again on the threshold of Lent – those weeks of journeying into darkness, those weeks of reflecting on the direction and choices in our own lives, these weeks when prayer is to be at the heart of the journeying, the heart of reflecting and taking stock. How are we to pray ?
Did you know there is an American family at St C who has a bit of Japanese in them.
Did you know there is American person at St Catherine’s who has some Native American in them.
Did you know…..
Here is the start of possibly some very enriching conversations for those of you who stay for coffee.
Here also is an idea from me – why not this Lent unscramble afresh or for the first time the various threads of your heritage in ethnic terms.
(Totally boring for me – my DNA shows me to be near enough 100% East European/ German borderlands)
Once you (person/family) have brought to light some of these treasures – why not pray for the places in our damaged and hurting world where these ethnicities that make up Your DNA currently call home. Some of them won’t have homelands.
Then those of you who like me have a boring DNA – we will continue to pray for:
-those affected by conflict and war on our doorstep and further afield
-those affected by earthquakes and avalanches and other ‘natural disasters’
-those affected by the sharp end of climate change consequences
-those victims of other injustices in our world – gender / racial / LGBTQI+ / neurodiversity
So let us not be overwrought. Let us encourage one another. Let us share the burdens. Let faith grow.
those most able to show compassion and those most able to accompany others through difficult journeys
– are those who have come through dark times themselves
with Lenten Blessings
