Deacon Anne Strong

LOVE GOD AND LOVE EVERYTHING GOD DOES

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Lent has begun…the 40 day journey to celebrating Easter.

Instead of depriving myself of one or more of my “favorites,” I am going to seek God and any little bit of Holy in my ordinary life.

The season of Lent was created  by the early church to mirror the 40 days and nights Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for His divine mission. My imagination sees Jesus struggling with existential questions:

What does it mean to be fully human and fully divine? Who was Jesus truly?

Lent offers us the opportunity to to check our hearts:

Are we focused on what matters? What does God know about ME?

“Draw near to God and God will draw near to me” (James 4 :8) will become my new reality.

Jesus’ journey into the wilderness began with a blessing from God: “ You are my beloved with whom I am well pleased.” What a great truth.

WE are first, now and eternally loved by God. I intend to begin each day with these words which  bless my unique path; I will step forward in confidence and joy.

A conversation with God:
Loving God, if I could just stop the whirl and remember today, and what will truly matter tomorrow. How quickly I get lost in the weeds of daily life! Help me to shift my holy attention.

Questions I must keep asking:

Am I giving the best of myself to the people around me? To your whole world? From where does my joy come? Do I look to the whole world, or to You? How oft do I bend my knee with reverence for the precious gift of life You have given me? Where do I turn when all things fall apart? When I feel  fragile, where is my mustard seed?

All this darkness does not stand a chance against the light YOU placed in me. I place my hand in YOURS.

A grateful Amen.

—Deacon Anne