Lent in a Bag

At the mini-Lenten retreat last Monday at Firstfruits, we were introduced to a unique concept – Lent in a Bag. Jacque, the facilitator, provided each of us with a small muslin bag, and by the end of the morning, our bags were filled with reminders of what Lent is all about.

There was a tiny bag of sand to remind us of this desert time when we are to use the silence and solitude to listen to God.

There was a seashell to represent our baptism and the need to renew the promises we made, or our godparents made for us, on that day.

There was a small stone to use to reflect on the stony places in our hearts that need transformation.

There was a packet of seeds to remind us of the hope and transformation that is coming at the end of our Lenten journey.

There was a candle to remind us to be a light in a world that is in such darkness.

There was a clothespin, that looks kind of like a person. It’s a symbol of Jesus’s humanity and reminds us that we too can reflect the Divine in our humanity.

The last item, the clothespin that represents Jesus, had the most significance for me. It’s become a part of my prayer time as I clip it over my heart to remind me that God loves me and I need to accept that truth and stop putting up obstacles to that love. That is my focus for Lent. To let God love me. That sounds so simple, but it’s not.

I have always known that Jesus loves me. I heard it often enough in songs and from the priests and nuns during my childhood. I think I believed it as a child, but somewhere along the line, I became less sure of that fact. I began to doubt and wonder about God’s love, rather than live fully in it.

I just couldn’t wrap my adult brain around the fact that Jesus really does love me, and that his mercy and grace make it possible for me to be loved in spite of my shortcomings. It just seemed too good to be true. Nothing comes so easily.

Those are grown up thoughts. And not true when it comes to God’s love.

Last week, I wrote about the importance of becoming more childlike in order to grow closer to God. I have realized I need to be more childlike in my acceptance of God’s love. What young child refuses the love of a parent or grandparent?  They cry out for it, they seek it out, they thrive on it.

For the rest of Lent, I am giving up the obstacles I put in the way of God’s love. Like a child, I’m going to just let myself be loved, clothespin and all.

Joan