It is almost impossible for me to imagine that today is the first day of Lent. To be honest, it has caught me by such surprise that I haven’t considered what my Lenten practice will be this year. Considering my New Year’s resolution didn’t last beyond January first, I am feeling a bit hesitant as I discern my commitment for the season of Lent. I inquire during my morning meditation, what behavior, what belief, what thought is desiring and ready to be released from my life so something greater can fill the space? What would I like to become new again in my personal practice? How shall I use these forty days to deepen my intimacy with the Divine? How shall I expand my spiritual life during this season of Lent?
I am immediately drawn to the writings of Charles Fillmore “Keep a True Lent”. Once again, as I turn the worn, marked, folded, well used pages of these writings, I am drawn deep into the well of its significance. Once again, I am called and I follow the urge to the wisdom and insights of “Keep a True Lent”. When I read the passage as if for the first time, I’m hooked again.
“Lent is a season of spiritual growth, a time for progressive unfoldment. When
can bend and merge our mind with God-Mind, the way is open for the Lord to
glorify us and to lift us into higher, purer, more spiritual state.”
Well, there you have it. Of course, I seek spiritual growth and unfoldment. This is my clear intention for Lent. Yes, I wish to merge myself with God-Mind. I truly seek, on a daily basis, to be more deeply and fully aware of God-Mind as me.
Oh wait, hold on just a minute! “open the way for the Lord to glorify me?” I honestly hadn’t considered this. “Exactly what does that mean?”, I wondered aloud? I read these words for the umpteenth time, yet it is as though I have never seen them before. Being true to my curiosity, I turn to the dictionary to explore all the meanings of “glorify”. There is clearly more for me to understand. Feeling incomplete with what I learned, I turn to the wisdom of Charles Fillmore’s “Revealing Word” for clarity where I find these words:
Glorify – to magnify with praise, to enhance with splendor, to adorn. Glorification is the highest spiritual state of consciousness attainable by human.
From my studies in Unity, I know that ‘Lord” is my divine consciousness. When I consider that my divine consciousness wishes to magnify me, to enhance me with splendor into the highest spiritual state of consciousness, I fall humbled and silent. In my time of silence, I consider this season of Lent and I say “yes” to the possibilities that lay waiting for me to explore. I say “yes” to the idea that as I yield my human thinking to God-Mind the way is opened for my divine consciousness to be raised to the highest spiritual state!
With this thought implanted in my mind I awaken today, Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Season of Lent, guided by the words of Charles Fillmore:
“I deny out of consciousness old error thoughts, as if I were gently sweeping
away cobwebs and I affirm positively and fearlessly that I am a child of God and
my inheritance is of God…I realize more and more the law of righteous thinking
that is bringing me to a consciousness of my perfect dominion”.
With this, my journey begins.
Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead, it’s time to spring forward!
Blessings and Love,
Rev. Karen