How are you allowing Jesus to speak to you more fully this Lent?

If you are still looking for a way to focus your prayer for Lent, I just stumbled across one interesting one that someone did: Meditating on the QUESTIONS that Jesus asks in the Gospel. I found this on the “Church Life Today” podcast which is created by Notre Dame University. Here is what the host of the show, Dr. Leonard DeLorenzo says:

“If you want to remain comfortable, do not let Jesus ask you questions. I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I decided that as a Lenten practice, I would spend time each day reflecting on and praying with the questions that Jesus asks in the Gospels. If you have ever looked for these, you’ll notice that he asks a lot of questions.

• What are you looking for?
• Why do you call me good?
• How does your concern affect me?
• Does this shock you?
• Do you want to be well?
• Have you anything here to eat?

And on and on.

What I found is that the more I dwelt with Jesus’ questions, the more I discovered that I was being moved by Jesus away from my own comfort zones. Those are the zones of my own thoughts, of my own vague desires, of my own expectations. Of course, I didn’t just read these questions––I read the pericopes in the Gospels where they are set. I found myself connecting these episodes and these questions to other parts of Scripture. And then I started writing. And writing. And writing.

It turns out that I had stumbled into scriptural pilgrimage. I don’t know how us to put this but to say that Jesus led me by his questions through a prolonged examination of conscience, towards his suffering, and even to glimpse anew
the glory of his resurrection.

Reflecting on and praying with the questions of Jesus turned out to be a very appropriate, very challenging, and very renewing Lenten practice.”

If you want to listen more to what he has to say about this you can listen at www.redeemerradio.com/churchlifetoday.

If you do decide to do this for your prayer for Lent, I, Fr. Kevin, would be very interested in hearing about your journey in this! It may be a prayer journey I will do myself one day!

As for me, for this Lent, I have felt drawn to allow Jesus to speak to me through one of our great spiritual writers and mystics of the Church, St. John of the Cross. Specifically spending time with his spiritual poetry and his book, “The Ascent of Mount Carmel.” We will see what the Lord has to reveal to me through that…so far it is very convicting about allowing God to be EVERYTHING, and about desiring God alone…. Ask me about it sometime!

Peace,
-Fr. Kevin