I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. (BCP p. 265 from The Ash Wednesday Liturgy)

For me and for a long time I’ve had some very particular ideas about what Lent was all about.  I always seemed to wind up in a conversaton that talked about what we were going to ‘give up’ for Lent.  I still think in terms of what sacrifice I’ll make for Lent but the fruits of that sacrifice have changed significantly for me over time.

This is no more true than maybe it is this year.  Recovering from physical ailments has afforded me what I seldom take enough of and that is time to reflect and limit my commitments.

In November I attended a seminar on David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology of getting to be more organized and productive.  I had no idea what sort of impact those two days would have on my spiritual life.  I went to the seminar just two weeks after going away to the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) in Boston for an extended silent retreat that was long overdue.  I came back from retreat feeling like I was sufficiently calm and centered to make better choices about the balance between ‘being’ and ‘doing’ as a part of living my vocation as priest, father, husband and friend.

Two weeks later, I found myself sitting with a bunch of other clergy and their administrators and admitting that I was as overwhelmed as when I’d left.

Then our presenter for the day quoted one of David Allen’s guiding principles in Getting Things Done namely that ‘whatever has your attention, has your attention.’  At first it seemed obvious but then I realized what terrific wisdom was there.

If I am preoccupied with many things, I neglect other things and some of those things neglected are not only important, they are critical.  Thoughts of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) swept into my mind and the words of Jesus convicted me, “you are worried and distracted by many things.” (Luke 10:41).

This long introduction leads me to what I hope is the point for me and may be of some use to you for this Lenten season of reflection, repentance and preparation to live anew in the light of the Resurrection.  I need to get back to the basics of being present to Jesus and what is most important and all the rest will fall into place.

In the Getting Things Done world, we are called to take all that comes into our minds and take them and put them in a trusted place where we can return to them and process them based on our values.  Isn’t it the same with our lives in Christ?

What has my attention has my attention and some of it’s not so very important as I’d like to think.  Maybe I’d all do well to find a trusted place to park my worries until I get some clarity on things and then, and only then, return and pick them up again.  I’m convinced Jesus’ is that place. If I am willing to do that, I suspect I’ll have gained some holy perspective, be clearer and more centered and find myself saying no to the many things and engaging more faithfully in the One Thing of most importance, namely my relationship to God and my part in God’s Mission.

That’s my Lenten story, and I pray, by the grace of God I’ll be sticking to it.  Pay attention to what and who has your attention and live your life accordingly. May we all keep a Holy Lent, in God’s name.

O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (From A Public Service of Healing, The Book of Occasional Services, p. 166)

The words of this prayer are appropriate ones as we move toward the ‘unofficial’ beginning of summer, the Memorial Day Weekend.  There’s no shortage of wisdom and beauty in this prayer just as there’s no shortage of beauty in the New England spring and summer.

We are winding down another ‘program’ year at St. Luke’s.  Choir will take a summer hiatus soon.  The Sunday School WoRM program will take a break (though Summer Celebration is just getting into full swing!).  On June 28th we’ll begin our Summer schedule of a single Sunday service beginning at 9 a.m.  It sure seems that the ‘busyness’ of activity will wind down.  In some ways, it seems to me, that we then will be free to engage in some of the most important ‘business’ that God gives us.

One of the main ‘jobs’ we have in ‘striving to be a community of faith where people come to know, love and follow Jesus Christ’ is to pay attention to the formation of our community.

The fact is that deep, sustaining relationships require investment—investment of time, vulnerability, compassion and sacrifice.  My hope and prayer for us as we enter a slower paced season is that we will take the opportunity for joint worship to deepen the bonds of affection, which form our community.  I hope and pray that we’ll make new friends and keep the old.  I hope and pray that we’ll find out things about one another and the power and call of God that we never knew we never knew.  I hope and pray we’ll find and take the invitation to return and rest and find new strength for call into God’s mission and ministry in the quietness of God’s presence in our worship, in one another and in our world.

Remember, we cannot give to the world that which we do not possess.  The fruit of our Sabbath times are promised to be ‘the Peace of God which passes all understanding.’ May that peace be yours and may you all share it freely