A Year of Fasting
This year I am giving up “should”
and this will make more room to discover…
God,
my authentic self,
my joy,
that my burden is easy and my yoke is so light,
that I am loved for who I am, period,
that the risks of vulnerability and truthfulness
are greatly outweighed by the depth of love,
friendship and compassion that taking these risks allow,
that I will suffer much less,
that I will live more fully in the moment,
that I will become more accepting of myself
and of others.
So I’m warning you now,
in a year, you may barely recognize me
if you forget to look for the one with the smiling heart.
Reflection and Prayer
Recall your/Jesus’ sacred intention. What could you give up or how could you create more space to receive, even if only during Lent, what aligns with this intention? Your heart knows. Place your hand over your heart and listen. Accept the challenge of avoiding the word “should” this Lent to discover the truth in the poem above.