To keep a holy Lent - week two

On Wednesday this week we began the first of our five Lent Program evenings with an introduction to the rule of St Benedict. Self-denial, often linked with fasting, which I spoke about in last week's E-news, is another spiritual practice enjoined upon us by the Book of Common Prayer's invitation to the keeping of a holy Lent.

Self-denial is a complex practice and generally no-longer well received by most of us because of the historical echo of a spirituality of self-denigration. St Benedict broke with this life-denying tradition by emphasizing the importance in finding God, not in extreme privation of the body, nor through self-humiliation, but by embracing lives of moderation in matters of diet and compassion towards self, and others.

From a modern psychospiritual point of view, each of us comprises a number of different aspects of self, sometimes referred to as subpersonalities. For example each of us has an angry child, who insists on his or her own way. There is the wounded child or the victim who feels its always someone else's fault. We have a controlling subpersonality who bosses and oppresses others because of its fear of  vulnerability being seen as helplessness or weakness. The list can go on. Self-denial is complex because it begs the question: which self are we denying?

Deep within us we all harbor considerable soul pain. For more on that visit my last sermon blog at www.relationalrealities.com.  Soul pain contributes to a deeps sense of personal unworthiness.  Our sense of being a disappointment to others and ourselves is the expression of being a disappointment to God. Addictions and compulsions of many kinds are one way to mask our soul pain. Another way is to try to control life and the people around us as we try to protect our sense of vulnerability. This makes us self-preoccupied and oppressive in relationships.

It's the prideful self that tells me that I'm a disappointment because I don't feel special. It's the grasping self that feels there is never enough of what I really need, certainly not enough to share with others. To keep a holy Lent involves de-centering, shifting the focus of my awareness away from these powerfully dominant selves, whose voices I have heard all my life. When I stop to think, I realize that I can never remember an instance where with hindsight they told me the truth about myself. Through the spiritual practice of self-denial, I stop paying so much attention to the loud voice within me and begin to listen for the quieter voice of the self, God is continually dreaming me into becoming. Spiritual practices support us in our process of growing into the selves God made us to be. Becoming can be a painful process, but it's always the way forward.

I appreciate seeing so many of you in Church, despite the bad weather.

Mark+

Funerals at St. Martin's

The funeral for Dilys Peirce will be held on Saturday, March 7th at 2pm.
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The funeral for Jane Mackenzie will be held on Saturday, March 14th at 5pm with a reception following in the Great Hall.

Ukranian Easter Egg Painting Classes: Saturday afternoons during Lent: March 7,14,21 from 1-4pm at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 81 Warren Avenue, E. Prov. RI  02914 Adults $10, children $5. All supplies provided. Call 434-7456 for more information.
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