Artist: Francisco de ZurbaránI had the wonderful privilege of hearing Dr. Marcus Borg speak when he visited Tulsa a few years ago. As scholars go, he is delightfully accessible and I've both valued and sincerely enjoyed everything of his that I've read. Here's a little something he said about the current season in which we find ourselves:
This is what the season of Lent is about, about being born again, about following the path of death and resurrection, about participating in Jesus' final journey. To become somewhat more concrete, some of us may need to die to specific things in our lives--perhaps to a behavior that has become destructive or dysfunctional, perhaps to a relationship that has ended or gone bad, perhaps to an unresolved grief or to a stage in our life that it is time to leave, perhaps to our self-preoccupation, or even to a deadness in our lives (you can die to deadness.) It is possible to leave the land of the dead. So, the journey of Lent is about being born again--about dying and rising, about mortality and transformation.I particularly like the notion of dying to deadness. There's a lot of material for reflection in that little turn of phrase.
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hi Ellie-
ReplyDeletethank you for this post, I feel it..
As a cat lover you'll be cognizant of the myth that cats have 9 lives. If I were a cat I'd be over my limit. What happens when you just don't have enough energy or interest for another resurrection?
ReplyDeleteWell, Tom, maybe you were adequately resurrected the last time! :-)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think it's entirely appropriate just to relax and let God love us.
Well it's a better response than I could have thought of anyway. : )
ReplyDeleteWarning! You may be in danger of becoming a wise old woman!
ReplyDeleteAh! I think I'm in danger here of being honored! :-) Thanks, Tom. You couldn't have said anything nicer to me!
ReplyDeleteI once hoped I'd grow up to be a wise old man, but I'm now beginning to think I should just settle for becoming a curmudgeon. So forgive me if I stray from being negative about life, the universe and everything. After all I'm way past 42 now.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom, I couldn't agree with you more about Sr. Ellie "becoming a wise old woman"...she has served me in the past as Spiritual Director, and I can say that, indeed, she is just that.
ReplyDeletewarm regards to you,
annie
I want to add something to my last note...I don't think Sr. Ellie will ever be "old"!
ReplyDeleteannie c
Thank you, dear Annie, for both comments. But I must say that, in this context, I do consider the word "old" be be a very positive one indeed!
ReplyDelete