Posted January 13, 2009 Book: Sacred Space for Lent 2009 Jesuit Community Center, Ireland Ave Maria Press. Notre Dame, IN. 2008. Pp. 115 An Excerpt from the Jacket: Fill each day of lent with spiritual growth and inspiration from Sacred Space for Lent 2009. Discover the rich, distinctive prayer method that has made Sacred Space so beloved around the world. Using a simple, six-step prayer method, forty Lenten reflections offer daily readings, prayer starters, and weekly Lenten themes. An Excerpt from the book: February 25 - 28 Something to think and pray about each day this week: Getting Started We are starting Lent this week, a somber time. You did not come, O God, to judge us, but to seek what is lost, to set free those who are imprisoned in guilt and fear, and to save us when our hearts accuse us. Take us as we are, with all that sinful past of the world. You are greater than our hearts, and greater than all our guilt — you are the creator of a new future, and a God of Love forever and ever. The Presence of God At any time of the day or night we can call on Jesus. He is always waiting, listening for our call. What a wonderful blessing! No phone needed, no e-mail, just a whisper. Freedom I will ask God’s help, to be free from my own preoccupations, to be open to God in this time of prayer, to come to love and serve him more. Consciousness How am I really feeling? Light-hearted? Heavy-hearted? I may be very much at peace, happy to be here. Equally, I may be frustrated, worried or angry. I acknowledge how I really am. It is the real me that the Lord loves. The Word I read the Word of God slowly, a few times over, and I listen to what God is saying to me. (Please turn to your scripture on the following pages. Inspiration points are there should you need them. When you are ready, return here to continue.) Conversation Remembering that I am still in God’s presence, I imagine Jesus himself sitting beside me, and I say whatever is on my mind, whatever is in my heart, speaking as one friend to another. Conclusion Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Scripture for Wednesday 25th of February Joel 2:12-14 Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God? We are at that time of the year when we are invited to test our inner freedom and to question the notion: I can take it, or leave it. Try that with pornography, alcohol, complaining, gossiping, anger, gambling. What habits make me hard to live with?