As we begin together I found a particular parable presented to me twice. Since the Lord showed it to me in two places, I believe that I am supposed to share it with you as we get ready for the change in liturgical season.
So here goes:
There was a young man who had gone into the desert to pursue the holy life. After a year or two of fasting, praying, and meditating on the Word, he began to feel that his rule of life is not rigorous enough, so he goes to his teacher and asks for a more stringent discipline. The teacher replies, "Simply do this: go back to your cave, pray, as you usually pray, fast, as you usually fast, sleep when you are tired."
The student, disappointed by this less than scrupulous response, goes to a second teacher, and again ask for a more stringent rule. The second teacher says, "Go back to your cave, pray, as you usually pray, eat when you are hungry, drink, when you are thirsty, sleep when you are tired." Frustrated, the man goes to a third teacher, who tells him," Just go back to your cave."
The point, is that you can't simply pursue God in the desert; you must also begin to pursue yourself wherever you are. You cannot fast, if you have not first notice that you were hungry; your hunger is what the cave can teach you.
Lent is the opportunity to notice where you are and what God could be teaching you.
So I wonder, what do you think God is going to teach you? And how are you preparing yourself to learn from the Lord this season?
No comments:
Post a Comment