The ongoing work of One in the Spirit is equipping ourselves and empowering each other to recover our deep connection to each other and to our world, so we can participate more fully in the transforming work of love. During these 40 Days of Lent, we will be offering reflections from those who call us to that work — and today we lift up the words and witness of Bishop Steven Charleston: Native American elder, author and a bishop in the Episcopal Church.
For a great many of us
the coming weeks will be a time of deep reflection
and intentional spiritual practice.
It is the Christian season of mindfulness,
a call to self-awareness,
a re-evaluation of old priorities.
I believe this Lent
will be made even more poignant
given all we have been through,
and continue to go through.
You do not have to be Christian
to embrace this Lenten season
because we have all faced a life-changing experience
and emerged from it more reflective than ever.
Persons of all faith traditions will be pondering
the meaning of our recent struggles
over the coming month.
We should welcome one another
into an inter-faith “Lent”,
inviting every person
to come into the circle of discernment.
The questions we ask ourselves are fundamental and ancient.
Why us?
Why now?
What did we do?
What were we thinking?
Can we ever trust again?
These and dozens of other inquiries
will be an integral part of Lent 2021.May we all journey together
Bishop Steven Charleston, Facebook Page 2/15/21
through this period of national self-examination.
And, with the help of the Spirit,
may we find the answers we are seeking.
One in the Spirit EDLA 