I'm up early this morning. Actually, I've had another sleepless night and this time I watched as the rain gradually turned into snow. It's been snowing outside for the past hour and a half and now the ground is blanketed with white snow and with the exception that it's a very wet snow and the kind I really do not like to walk around in, from the comfort of being wrapped up in my quilt sitting in a comfy chair looking outside while visualizing a warm toasty fire on inside... actually, I've got no fire place and while I am wrapped up in a warm blanket looking outside my window watching the sun rise and watching the snow coming down I've actually just come back from taking a walk to the coffee shop on the corner and now I'm back with my coffee siting down with my breakfast while writing out my current reflections on lent.
The thought that keeps coming back to me is this question, why do we fast? What is the purpose of it? You know I say this having never been on a full fast ever in my entire life :)
Do we fast because we're wanting to beat our flesh into submission? Do we fast trying to work our way into heaven while completely neglecting everything that Jesus has done for us when he willingly submitted himself to such a humiliating and horrific death? One can fast simply for religious obligation or one can participate with God in the discipline of fasting because one desires to be further refined in one's personal relationship with Jesus Christ and our faith journey towards the man or woman that God created us to be. Snow is often a symbol of purity as is the color white. Recently I have come to see such disciplines as fasting not so much of a religious obligation but rather a time to set aside to be further refined to the image of Jesus Christ and to develop in us the fruit of the Spirit. We're all called to a consecrated life, a life of holiness and purity but at the same time we all are broken and struggle with various things in our life that has a tendency to take our minds off of the purpose that God has for each and every one of us... all the more reason to begin to cultivate in our lives spiritual disciplines like fasting or meditative/contemplative prayers that allow for us to quiet our spirit so that we can hear from God. These are disciplines I am hoping to grow in, not for the sake of religiosity but for the simple reason of wanting and desiring to be completely open to His work being done in my life.
More recently I've been growing in the discipline of meditative and contemplative discerning prayer. It is by far different then the loud boisterous yelling and shouting and charismatic type intercessory prayer sessions that I've experienced in years past... I am growing to believe there is a time and place for everything and a reason for meditative and contemplative prayers. The loud boisterous prayers tend to neglect matters of the heart as we pray into what we think, sense, and believe is God's will but rarely do we engage relationally with our God in such a way to give place to what is at present time being stirred up in our heart. What is better, to follow through with what looks to be God's will for our life or to take a step back, quietly reflect, and actually allow for a process. I liken this to the tilling of the soil of our spirit... tilling the soil of our heart... it is preparing our heart to receive and to allow for conviction to take in our heart. It's like planting a seed. Without tilling the soil of our heart it's like the shallow planting of a seed that springs up quickly but when the scorching sun comes out the plant withers away just as fast as it sprang up or it's like planting a seed among thorny ground but because of impatience the seed was planted prematurely and as a result the thorns chocking the life out of the plant. Matthew 13:1-23.
In my current reflections during this season of lent I have come to a deeper and more profound understanding of some of the mysteries that surround Jesus death on the cross. Recently I've done a study on the Rosary Prayer and with the Rosary prayer you will find this meditative and contemplative prayer embedded into the very dna of this prayer. The current Rosary prayer focuses on 4 types of mysteries. I wanted to highlight one set of the mysteries that is reflected upon in this prayer. It's called the Sorrowful Mysteries...
- Jesus comes with his disciples to Gethsemani: "Stay here, while I go yonder and pray."
- Entering the garden with Peter, James, and John, Jesus prays, "My soul is sorrowful unto death."
- Jesus sees the sins of all mankind, whose guilt He has taken upon Himself.
- He sees the wrath of the Father which His sufferings must appease.
- So great is his anguish that His sweat becomes as drops of blood falling to the ground.
- An angel appears to Him from heaven to strengthen Him.
- "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet, not My will but Yours be done."
- Finding the disciples asleep: "Could you not watch one hour with me?"
- Jesus is betrayed by Judas, cruelly bound and led away.
- Father, by the merits of the agony of Jesus in the Garden, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
- Jesus is taken before the High Priest where He is falsely accused, buffeted and insulted.
- The Jewish leaders take Jesus before Pilate, for only he can impose the death penalty.
- The robber, Barabbas, is preferred to Jesus.
- Pilate can "find no cause in Him", yet to appease the Jews, he orders Jesus to be scourged.
- The scourge is made of leather thongs to which are attached small sharp bones.
- Jesus is bound to a pillar and cruelly scourged until His whole body is covered with deep wounds.
- The Lamb of God offers His suffering for the sins of mankind.
- Jesus suffers so much in His sacred flesh to satisfy, especially, for sins of the flesh.
- The prophesy of Isaiah is fulfilled: "He was wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for our sins."
- Father, by the merits of Jesus in this painful scourging, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
- Pilate asks, "Are You a king?" Jesus answers: "I am a King, but My kingdom is not of this world."
- In the praetorium, the soldiers place an old purple robe on Jesus in mockery of His claim to be a king.
- They fashion a crown out of thorns, and forcefully press it down upon His head.
- In His bound hands they place a reed, as a sceptre, in mockery of His kingship.
- Kneeling before Him in derision, they spit on Him, and cry out: "Hail, King of the Jews!"
- Taking the reed from His hand they strike Him on the head, driving the thorns more deeply into His scalp.
- Pilate brings Jesus before the people, hoping His pitiful sight will soften them: "Behold the man!"
- Their response: "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
- Our Blessed Lord submitted to this terrible humiliation to make reparation for our pride.
- Father, by the merits of this painful humiliation, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
- One condemned to death by crucifixion is forced to carry the cross to the place of execution.
- The suffering of Jesus is intense as the cross is laid on His bruised and wounded back and shoulders.
- Weak and exhausted from loss of blood, lack of food and rest, Jesus falls three times under the cross.
- Jesus meets His afflicted Mother causing untold anguish in the Hearts of Son and Mother.
- The countenance of Jesus is disfigured with blood and sweat, with dust and spittle.
- Veronica wipes His face, leaving on her towel the image of His countenance.
- Fearing that Jesus might die on the way, the soldiers force Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross behind Jesus.
- Jesus speaks to weeping women; "Weep not for Me, but for yourselves and your children."
- "If anyone is to be My disciple, let him take up his cross and follow Me."
- Father, by the merits of this painful journey to Calvary, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
- The hands and feet of Jesus are nailed to the cross in the presence of His afflicted Mother.
- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
- "This day you will be with Me in paradise."
- "Woman, behold your Son. Son, behold your Mother."
- "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
- "I thirst."
- "It is finished."
- "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit."
- The side of Jesus is pierced with a lance. His body is taken down and placed in the arms of His Mother.
- Father, by the merits of the crucifixion and death of Jesus, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
The snow that has covered the earths ground speak of victory this morning that has come through the obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and it speaks to what the Lord desires and that is to make all things new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has passed away;
behold, the new has come. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
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