FR NIGEL WRITES….
“CRACKED WIDE OPEN”
I think of Eggs first of all. Then I think of the empty tomb which Lent points to and fulfils. And as a priest, I think of holding up high the host and bread of life, and breaking it - before sharing it with you. And on Ash Wednesday, marking each forehead in ash with the sign of the cross, a sign of our taking seriously our sinfulness and our willingness to repent and receive again God’s grace.
Although we all miss these very physical as well as symbolic signs of living eucharistically this Lent, we are never alone. There are resources available from my former Diocese of Chichester via this News Sheet and our website to dip into, use, and enjoy at a time when we have less excuses to make about being too busy! There are other resources from our own Diocese as well to help train us all to develop our praying or fasting or charitable outreach for Tanzania and beyond. But it is not a competition. It is, though, always a challenge to make this a season of transformation so that, after 40 days, we can look back how God’s energy has changed and renewed us.
For those who cannot or do not wish to go ‘online’ for inspiration or encouragement, just choose a good book instead! Our ‘TTR’ group have put together a great list to choose from but again, it is not a race to find the cleverest or holiest amongst us! I am currently reading and enjoying a ‘big book’ by Tom Holland called ‘Dominion’ which I probably wouldn’t have picked up without the ‘aid’ of lockdown. And the former Dean of our Cathedral said of Sr.Laurentia’s ‘The Way of Benedict’ that ‘this is a Lent Book that will be read for its joyfulness the whole year round.’ That means it is one to treasure and return to and help us to grow. So choose to open wide, something new and special for 2021, which leads you to Easter.
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