I was standing in an aisle in the grocery store when a sharp spiritual pain pinched my awareness and let me see the rest of the world. I was appalled. I realised I could buy anything in the store that I wanted. The richness of my life slapped me in the face as I stood there, thinking about how many people do not even have a store like that available to them, let alone the money to purchase what is in it
Not long after that experience, I read some statistics in an article by Joan Chittister that increased my awareness of my own richness in light of the world's poverty:
Social statisticians tell us that if the earth's population were a village of 100 people, there would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, and 8 Africans. Only 14 people in the village would be from both North and South America combined. Seventy of the people in this village would be nonwhite. Seventy would be non-Christian. Seventy would be illiterate. Fifty of them would be malnourished. Fifty percent of all the money in the village would be held by six people - and all of them would be white, male Americans .....
Reading Angela's Ashes by Frank Mccourt increased my awareness of how fifty percent of the world are impoverished while I sit in my comfortable shelter, feasting daily on good food. As Mccourt described going hungry day after day in his memoir of a childhood in Ireland's desolate time, I thought of how rarely I consider the rest of humanity, while day after day I am in my snug, smug little world of satisfaction.
My awareness continued to deepen as I read McCourt's description of the three small boys sleeping on one old, raggedy coat, covered by two thin ones in the damp, cold climate, and of his licking the newspapers he found in which someone's fish and chips had been wrapped. This is not just something that has happened in the past. This kind of situation continues to exist, day after day, in many cities, villages, and isolated country places.
But there is also hope. There are people in wealthy nations whose awareness of the rest of the world is making a difference. They want to help. They are working to change the great gap between the haves and have-nots. I see the choices these generous and compassionate people are making. Their selflessness and kindĂ‚Âheartedness encourages me to make better decisions about how I live and how I give. I do not believe that it is a matter of condemning a comfortable life but, rather, of wanting this for all people. It is good that we are challenged to use our resources in such a way that others can also have a more humane life. It is essential that we are reminded often that each human being is our sister or our brother. It is the message that Jesus taught so long ago. It is an ageless teaching and we are always in need of re-learning and living the message. Lent is a good time to re-enter the heart of this teaching.
Psalm 51:10
Response - Create in me a clean heart, O God, And put a new and right spirit within me.
1. Create in me a clean heart, open and receptive, so that I may embrace the many ways you choose to visit my life
2. Create in me a clean heart, purified through the daily disruptions and the life encounters that take me beyond my grasping control and ego-centredness.
3. Create in me a clean heart, freed from the clutter of cultural enticements, so that I can enjoy the beauty of life's simple things and relish the gifts I easily take for granted.
4. Create in me a clean heart, bathed from harsh thoughts, shame, and perfectionistic tendencies, warmly welcoming others with the embrace of non-judgement.
5. Create in me a clean heart, cleansed of anxiety and lack of trust, restoring in me an enduring faith in your abiding presence and unconditional love.
6. Create in me a clean heart, scrubbed of racism and prejudice, drawing me toward all as my sisters and brothers.
7. Create in me a clean heart, washed with your mercy and strengthened by your love, helping me move beyond whatever keeps me from union with you.
8. Create a clean heart in me, God. Dust off the unmindful activity that constantly collects there. De-clutter my heart from harsh judgements and negativity. Wash away my resistance to working through difficult relationships. Rinse off my un-loving so the beauty of my generous and kind heart can shine forth. Remove whatever keeps me from following in your compassionate footsteps. Amen.
Response - Create in me a clean heart, O God, And put a new and right spirit within me.
Common prayers and intentions
I Come Broken - Just as I am - Travis Cottrell
Final Prayer
Loving Father,
As we reflect on the message of love and transformation, we come before You with humble hearts, seeking Your grace to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us. Open our eyes to the needs of Your children around us, and fill us with compassion that moves us to act in love.
Help us to embrace the lessons of Lent, to see beyond our comfort and to extend Your hand of mercy and hope to those in need. Guide us to live in a way that reflects Your love and justice, making a difference in the world You have entrusted to us.
Grant us the courage to confront our prejudices, the strength to let go of our anxieties, and the wisdom to appreciate the simple blessings of life. May our hearts be free from clutter, our intentions pure, and our actions aligned with Your will.
As we journey through this season, remind us of Your endless love and the transformative power of Your grace. Lead us into a deeper union with You, and through us, may Your love be known.
