BEGIN
Welcome to the Desert Files meditation for
the fifth week in Lent.
Sit comfortably in front of your computer, in
a place where you won't be distracted or
interrupted.
Take the meditation as quickly or slowly as
you like, pressing the "MOVE ON" button to go
to the next page.
RELEASE
As you sit still, notice what comes to
mind... what preoccupations or worries are you
bringing to this meditation time today?
Either literally, or in your imagination,
write these things down, and destroy the paper,
as a way of letting them go.
Keep going until you feel present to the
moment.
ATTEND
Close your eyes and see what visual picture,
or feeling comes to you when you think of
'God'. Is this the image you want to have of
God today?
If yes, then take some time just to sit and be
aware of this God with you now, even if there
are no feelings that go with this
awareness.
If no, take a moment to replace the image with
something else.
READ
Slowly read the following words from the Christian tradition:
From noon on,
darkness came over the whole land until three
in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus
cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema
sabacthani?" that is, "My God, my God why have
you forsaken me?"
When some of the bystanders heard it, they
said, "This man is calling for Elijah."
At once one of them ran and got a sponge,
filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick,
and gave it to him to drink. But the others
said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will
come to save him."
Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and
breathed his last.
[matthew 27: 45-50 nrsv]
CONSIDER
In his time of pain and death, Jesus
experienced God-forsakenness. Sometimes, all we
know of God is the presence of absence. This
sense of loss and lack are as much a part of
the Christian tradition and experience, as is
the sense of God's closeness. In these forsaken
moments (or years), questioning, lament and
anger are appropriate.
However, it is also good to develop the muscle
of trust, to ward off despair. Jesus died
feeling abandoned. But our faith tells us that
this is not the end of the story, even though
it would have seemed that way to everyone at
the time.
CONTEMPLATE
Take some time to be silent with God now,
for about 5 minutes, or more. Don't think about
anything in particular, just be as open and
attentive as you can.
When you notice that you are distracted gently
bring yourself back to the place of simple
'being.' You might find it helpful to say
internally, the word or phrase that you were
reflecting on from the reading, as a prompt to
let go of the distraction.
Don't expect anything to 'happen' during this
period of contemplation. It is enough that you
are here, being still.
RESPOND
Is there a verbal prayer or action that you want to make in response to your meditation today?
