by Deacon Roger Carr-Jones
Lent is a gift to prepare us to celebrate Easter worthily. It is a time in which we can reflect more deeply on our spiritual and temporal life. In daily life we tend to make things more complex than they need be, rather than to place simplicity at the heart of what we think or do. One minute of reflection can make an eternity of difference.
If, today, we were granted just one minute in prayer to sum up where we are in our marriage, or family life, this would mean dispensing with the chaff and being totally focused on essentials. For some of us a minute might seem too short, or for others it may seem an eternity of emptiness. However, if we only have that one minute then we might find that we discover a new depth of prayer, in which we reveal who we are and what we most need.
If we feel uncertain about bringing the reality of our lives into prayer then it is worth recalling that Jesus was part of a human family and experienced love, suffering, and hardship. Therefore, Jesus relates to us on a human level, because he has already been there. Prayer is a time in which we can be truly honest about our hopes, fears and concerns. It need only take a minute to start that conversation, but it can become one that will last a life-time and one that transforms us every-day.
If you would like a guided retreat in daily life this Lent, why not try an Ignatian version at https://www.pathwaystogod.org/.
