Sunday, March 15, 2009

Lenten health check part 2


Amid the thwarted plans & radical rethinking that this Lent has brought, one element of ny original intentions has remained constant. Fr Simon of Blesséd
has been texting & tweeting a series of daily gems, which have arrived regardless of whether I thought I was "up to" engaging with them or not. Since my phone has been my constant companion since the day of my fall, I've not been able to pretend they weren't there, even on the grumpist days.
So, despite myself I've read, I've reflected & I have been blessed in the process.

A few days ago, the words of Padre Pio
"pray, hope & don't worry"

sustained me as I went through the day - a reminder that amid bushels of "what ifs" all really shall be well.

Here is what I received yesterday.

Blesséd->Tip out the salt shaker into your hand. The many grains are as numerous as God's blessings on you. Don't count them, feel them.

I didnt, I confess, risk the salt - the prospect of something else that I could not tidy up for myself seemed unwelcome and thus likely to be counterproductive - but I most definitely engaged in feeling my blessings. I felt them as I prepared to sleep last night, cosy in my nest on the sofa with companionable cats at hand...I felt them again as we began our worship this morning by singing "God is here as we his people", as I offered the Eucharistic prayer with the wonderful Lenten Preface

It is indeed right and good
to give you thanks and praise,
almighty God and everlasting Father,
through Jesus Christ your Son.
For in these forty days
you lead us into the desert of repentance
that through a pilgrimage of prayer and discipline
we may grow in grace
and learn to be your people once again.
Through fasting, prayer and acts of service
you bring us back to your generous heart.
Through study of your holy word
you open our eyes to your presence in the world
and free our hands to welcome others
into the radiant splendour of your love.
As we prepare to celebrate the Easter feast
with joyful hearts and minds
we bless you for your mercy
and join with saints and angels
for ever praising you...

I felt them too as I spoke to people at the door and as I walked home in the spring sunshine, past gardens filled with daffodils beneath a sky of cloudless blue.
Blessed?
Oh yes, most definitely.


5 comments:

God_Guurrlll said...

Amen and thank you.

Peace and love,

Bad Alice said...

Well that's nifty. I guess I will have to enter the Twitterverse.

Michelle said...

...I like the idea of feeling blessings, if not of cleaning up spilled salt!

You get a prayer nightly as I tuck the banged up one at my house into a little nest (only one cat) arm nicely elevated!

mid-life rookie said...

Oh, I'm going to get my salt shaker now! Feel them - don't count them - brilliant! Just what I need in this wierd week of time off but lots to do. Thanks! Hoping you will be tidying up for yourself soon.

Sue said...

Amen indeed.