by Laura Giddings
| The Abbey group received a beautiful blessing on Monday morning as they prepared to depart Tacoma for Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey in Oregon. The group includes: Brittni, Carie, Les, Amber, Stacie, Brendan, Paul, Doug, Kayleigh, and Erin and Ben from L’Arche Portland. Please keep them in your prayers. Here is our Lenten blessing for the journey: As we dig deep together we ask: For the courage to show up, Patience for the journey, Trust in the darkness, Celebration in the light, and compassion for ourselves and one another. As part of the community’s blessing, each person received a map created by Les and Katie Guertin-Anderson to guide them on their journeys: |
| Katie and I also want to offer a brief reflection each day this week on the milestones of the journey. I am starting with courage. Sometimes I wonder if we underestimate the courage needed to enter into a life of faith, or to simply to take another step on our spiritual journey. What might it mean for our lives? For the lives of our loved ones? What possibilities might open, and what might close? Where can we find strength? What is the source of our courage? One of my favorite hymns is set to a text by David Haas called “You are Mine.” The chorus goes like this: Do not be afraid, I am with you I have called you each by name Come and follow Me I will bring you home I love you and you are mine I invite you to reflect this week on the courage it takes to enter more fully into a relationship, to be on the journey into the heart of community, and to open yourself to the next step on your spiritual journey of Lent. At Holden Village, the community often uses these words when sending people out into the world. I offer this prayer to you as well, as we continue together on this journey of Lent: O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us. Amen. |
