This year I decided to walk through Lent on Facebook. I
called my FB friends to walk through the 40 days Lent with me by focusing on 40
days of kindness and wonder. We are
called to charitable acts, acts of mercy during Lent, hence the kindness.
Kindness in all forms, especially the most simple. Through FB, I am calling
attention not so much to the act of
kindness but to taking the time to notice when kindness can be offered and do
so. In noticing, I believe I will find that there are many more opportunities for
kindness that I/we would typically not be tuned in to. Not to say that I am a
selfish person but I do know myself well enough to know that sometimes am not
tuned into others and can miss the chance for kindness: the sincere thank you
for good service, letting a car cut in, things along those lines…simple
kindnesses. My hope is that in recognizing that opportunities do abound, that I will
take more of those times and share some kindness which will brighten my life
and the life of whoever is involved.
I also called for wonder as a different take on the Catholic
tradition of Lent as a time of reflection. I think we are surrounded with signs
of God’s wonder. But I also think we miss them or fail to appreciate the wondrous
nature of what is around us. We all could benefit from that which causes us to
pause, to stand back in astonishment, something that grabs our attention in a positive
way. Reflecting on the wondrous is reflecting on God. Just like the
opportunities for kindness, I am guessing that wondrous abound but I miss it or
mistake it for ordinary. So why not spend some time this Lent in finding all
that is filled with wonder or fills us with wonder as a means of honoring God?
I have asked my FB friends to do so and post same.
Hopefully it will go viral or at least get a bit of a
snuffle …stay tuned.
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