Reawakening and Solidarity

This year, unlike in years past, I have found myself looking forward to Lent. Words like anticipation, opportunity and invitation kept coming to mind as I prayed and reflected on Lent’s approach.  Why the different attitude?  

Lent brings with it a sense of starkness in both liturgy and practice. I am craving the absence to enter more fully into the richness through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  During this season we each are called, so there is a built in solidarity with others who are marking this holy season.

Pope Francis writes:  “Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.”  Lent calls each of us in different ways to “awaken” both individually and communally.  During Lent when I commit to prayer, fasting and almsgiving I do so in solidarity with my fellow pilgrims on the journey towards Easter. Here lies the power because as each of us commit to reawakening it spreads to those around us, and we together shake off our lethargy and move into action.

           May the practices we choose this Lenten season reawaken us to God and to our solidarity with one another as pilgrims on this journey not only through Lent, but through life.
      Sr. Kimberly Porter, OSB