What Lent Means to me

During Lent, we ask some of the residents of Newman House to give their reflections on the season, and to share it with readers of the blog. Nicole Peake offers her thoughts:

zz

For me, Lent is a time of drawing closer to God, a time of deepening my relationship with him and of reminding myself that he belongs at the very centre of my life. It is a time of renewing my complete surrender to his love, relinquishing my egotistical desires afresh and expanding my openness to his voice.

zz

Lent is a time for reminding myself that I am dust. And to dust I shall return. My life is transitory and the meaning of my existence much deeper than the myriad of preoccupations that pepper my day. Lent prompts me to reassess the fabric of my life. Stripping myself gradually of unnecessary considerations and concerns, I find myself walking more closely beside the one who implores me not to worry but simply to trust. Just as Jesus fasted for forty days in the desert, so I attempt to fast from all that serves to take me further away from him. It is a time for consciously remembering all that I already know, yet have been failing to put into practice. Prayer should be at the very centre of my life, not dancing around on the periphery and drawn upon only in times of crisis. Love should be the underlying force behind my every action, not an occasional actor flitting across the stage when emotions are aroused. Every moment should be seeped in openness to his guidance, not seeped in agendas that have nothing to do with him or his will.

zz

I suppose any time is a good time to reassess and readdress the balance of our lives. Yet Lent seems to be a very good time as we lead up to the moment when the fragments of Jesus’ life are beautifully woven together, culminating in our very salvation. I choose this time to reflect upon the fragments of my own life and see the disjointedness and disparities for what they really are. I choose to draw them together, to put him at the very centre of it all and to surrender myself once more to his love.

zz

Moments awash with agenda.

Noise tumbling, thoughts tossed.

Perspective viewed from a precipice.

Worry mumbling,

Peace lost.

zz

Ego leading with audacity.

Truth crumbling, knowledge defaced.

Desires springing from fallacies.

Need imploring,

Love misplaced.

zz

Ashes given with reminder.

Memory shaken, awareness restored.

Understanding floods the confusion.

View altered,

Behaviour deplored.

zz

Moments awash with veracity.

Silence encompassing, thoughts drowned.

Perspective viewed from the centre.

Worry abdicating,

Peace found.