Lent, TEC, and Julian

"God, in your goodness, give me yourself. For you are enough for me, and may I not ask anything that is less, that may be fully worthy of you. For if I ask any thing that is less, I am left always wanting. Because only in you, have I all."
-Julian of Norwich

I had the wonderful privilege of being on a TEC retreat this weekend with 100+ beautiful kids and adults who were NOT left wanting. Experiencing the strong sense of community that happens when we are united in our experience of God's goodness set me up nicely for the start of Lent this week. Lent is so often understood as a time of sackloth and ashes, the purpose of which seems to be to punish ourselves for our perceived unworthiness of God's unconditional love.  I can't help but see it differently after all that I experienced this weekend, and the strong connection I still feel to the community we formed. 

Lent, as I reflect on Julian's quote above, I think is more about reflecting on the times we "ask for the things that are less...and leave us always wanting." When we come to a more mindful awareness of the time we waste on these things, we quite naturally begin to seek out God and ask only: "give me yourself, for you are enough for me." To take it even a step further, when we seek this in the common bond of a community, and unite ourselves in offering up the same things (ex. giving up fish on Fridays) I think our experience of God's goodness is accelerated, and we are more deeply connected to one another on a spiritual level as well.

There is truly nothing I appreciate more in life than sharing with others the reality that in God, we truly have all :)