​Lent 2015: Making Lent your own!

Lent 2015: Making Lent your own!

As with any of the liturgical seasons within the Christian calendar these times allow for deep reflection. Lent is no exception. For many Lent is a season of sacrifice, penance, prayer and service. Lent is also one of those opportune times for extra Bible study groups, devotionals, adoration and silence. Lent strengthens the life of the faith filled community through corporate prayer and devotions. There are many devotional and reading materials to help any one of us throughout this season of Lent. One of the keys to move into a deeper meaning of prayer and Lent is to make the prayers and or devotionals your own. This is what is called Interpretative prayer.³

Sometime ago, I began to reflect with folks to review the Stations of the Cross through their own eyes. I then used these here at SAMMC for our own use during the “Home” Stations of the Cross. The first set of Stations of the Cross was written by two individuals who had difficult hospitalizations: one had breast cancer and the other had AIDS. This author also contributed to the writing of these Stations of the Cross. The reaction by the congregation was real and moving. One member said “I have never experienced such a moving and personal interpretation of the Stations of the Cross like those we used this evening.” Based on this experience, I began to ask others to do the same; take the Stations of the Cross and make them their own. One may ask how to do this?

As with any illness, accident, traumatic or life changing experience, it is not uncommon for the affected individual to ask “Why Me?” Viktor Frankle, in his renown writing “Man’s Search for Meaning”¹ underscores this seeking and questioning events which happen within the human condition. The particular Stations of the Cross mentioned above were written by persons in search for “renewed” meaning in their lives. In both of these individuals’ lives they felt that their lives were being “tested.” No different than any one of us in any life changing situation. It was very evident that both of these persons were faith filled believers in the Triune God; but the situation called for a deeper look at their faith and response to a life threatening illness. Interpretative Prayer is about taking any common prayer that one uses and then “reframes it” to their situation. This does not necessarily change any theological content, but rather allows the individual to place them in the prayer. Almost like some of the psalms when written in first person, i.e., “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22)² let’s now explore what I mean by “interpretative prayer” using some examples from the aforementioned Stations of the Cross.

There are normally 14 Stations of the Cross. In some of these spiritual exercises there is an additional station for the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The young woman who wrote about her breast cancer highlighted Station Number Four “Jesus Meets His Mother.” This station was very powerful for this young woman. She told me that while reflecting on this particular station she recalled how she wrestled with the decision to tell her own mother about her battle with breast cancer. She had already told her husband. As the first station reminds us about Jesus being condemned to death, she reflected how she too felt being condemned to death because she and her husband had just begun their family. She had given birth to a baby boy. When it came time for her to tell her own mother she said she was lost for words; but knew her mom needed to know. The results were very powerful. The patient wrote that while telling her mother that her mother also had something to tell her. The mother told her that she too had breast cancer and had been discerning how to tell her daughter. When the congregation reflected on this particular station, I could tell they were all moved beyond words. As Jesus met his mother and as this woman spoke to her mother, I could tell in the faces of the members of the congregation that they too were recalling similar experiences. For them this Station became interpretative prayer. They were able to understand it as their own.

The other individual was a young man who had been told that he had AIDS. He too had a deep faith and questioning about what God had in store for him. He had shared with me how some distanced themselves from him and even “condemned” him because of his illness. Issues of guilt, shame and sadness plagued him initially, but soon he came to a realization that he had something to learn because of his illness. These feelings he reflected in the Third Station: Jesus Falls for the First Time.

A chaplain (or any spiritual director, pastoral care provider) many cases are individuals who often stand in the window peering into the lives of those entrusted in his/her care. When permitted, the chaplain can assist those with question of faith. The chaplain then becomes a mirror where the one troubled is able to look in to one’s own soul and seek the Triune God.

As a church (within the Roman Catholic tradition) we are blessed to have many devotionals, i.e., Stations of the Cross, which are ageless. These devotionals and prayers while written in days past or most recently are words that cause one to not only imagine the sentiments of the prayers and devotionals, but they also allow one to “reimage them in their own lives — today.” To keep prayer/devotionals only within the historical context or language of the era some ways limit the gift of imagination and movement of the Spirit. This is in no ways means that the spirit or imagination cannot be present in prayers and traditions as they have been written or translated. However, in this era of mass social media, flash events, texting, you tube, etc., these tools can be used to help better understand traditions of faith within the 21st century.

During this Lent, in your own personal prayer or within your community (parish or otherwise) think outside the box about the prayers and devotionals you may use. Each and every one of us is called to “Seek the Triune God” in our lives. Seeking God can be accomplished in many ways. Let me suggest a few:

• 1)Think about how you want to spend this Lent.
• 2)Keep a journal about your own reflections during this period of Lent. Allow yourself to enter into the recesses of your spirit and explore those places that need most attention.
• 3)Think about a word for the day! Write about that word and how it speaks to you and uplifts your spirit.
• 4)Spend time in prayer (community or alone), attending eucharistic celebrations, silence and service.
• 5)Take one of the prayers and or devotionals of the season of Lent and re-write as your own. Allow these tools of faith to draw you deeper towards the Triune God, the Blessed Mother and the angels and the saints.
• 6)And finally be of service to your brother and sister. Write about the service you provide and how you find yourself moved with the compassion of Jesus.

It has been often said and demonstrated by the saints that “reflection” is a powerful tool. Reflection can be a very powerful and meaningful resource. When moments of reflection are used in the course of prayer/devotionals the interpretation can be very powerful and insightful. In these occasions our reflections can then enable us to interpret the Triune God working in us and the human condition. This Lent place your face on your prayers and devotionals. Allow them to speak to you. This is what faith filled men and women have done for years. When we put prayers and devotionals in our own words, they become our own for ourselves and for others, is that not partially what Lent is about?

• 1)Frankle, Viktor “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Beacon Press, 1959
• 2)Psalm 22 “The New American Bible,” Catholic World Press, 1986
• 3)Rev. Dr. James E. Schellenberg

Father James E. Schellenberg is in special ministry at San Antonio Military Medical Center.