Season of Lent

From the amount of time I've spent away from blogging, you may have thought I'd given it up for Lent...or for good! Well, I can't claim that, but it has been a bit of a break. Amidst the busy winter months, I did take some time to pause and reflect on the season of Lent. I was asked to share a brief story for our campus chapel service at the start of Lent. Below is what I shared.




About a year ago, I read a book called Prayer by Phillip Yancey. In this book, he describes a visit to a monastery. As guests arrive at the monastery, a spiritual leader greets the visitor and says, "I hope your stay is a blessed one- if you need anything, let us know and we'll teach you how to live without it".

As we enter into the season of Lent, for many this is a time of learning to live without something as a means of reflection and focus on Christ. There are also many of us who may not have experienced Lent before and this is a season to learn from each others faith traditions. Although I did not grow up practicing Lent, I have found that it can serve as a powerful reminder to focus and reflect on God's ultimate sacrifice, his Son.

The season of Lent can be a focusing of the mind, body and spirit. I would like to share with you a story about an experience I've had in the outdoors. As some of you may know, I am a lover of creation. I enjoy getting outside to explore, to hike, to bike and to rock climb. A favorite spot of mine is the Iron Horse Trail up on Snoqualmie. As part of the Iron Horse Trail, there is an abandoned railroad tunnel which is now used for recreational purposes. The tunnel is approximately 2.3 miles long and is used primarily by hikers and bikers.

As you enter, it is a first fairly easy as the tunnel entrance is large and the light penetrates the darkness. But as you continue on, the darkness surrounds you. Your eyes have trouble adjusting, you slow down your pace and your heart beats faster. There is a certain element of fear, not just of the dark, but of the unknown.

Some embrace the darkness, others reach out for someone close to them or grasp for the sides that end up wet and slippery to the touch. Some even find that the darkness overwhelms them, they lose hope and turn back.

For those who continue on the journey, they may find that they slow down to a crawl where others speed up just to get it over with. As time continues, your eyes start to adjust to the darkness. There is still no true light but some form of shadows by which to negotiate by.
Finally, a tiny pinprick of light is all it takes to restore hope. You may continue steadily or make your way faster, but practically everyone keeps their eyes focused on that light. If you glance away, it may be a short detour, but it takes time to allow your eyes to readjust and return to your true course. In time, the pinprick of light broadens into a ray of light by which you can once again see your path.

It is hope that we live for and hope that gets us through the darkness. It is the focus on even that pinprick of light that allows us to to make it through the tunnel and celebrate the full daylight.

May you appreciate this season of Lent, embrace the darkness and look forward to the celebration to come.