Cathedral News
Announcements for the week of March 7, 2010
From the Dean
So, how is your Lent going? I hope and pray that, while rich in spirit, it is proving to be difficult. It’s supposed to be hard, as the wilderness is a place of spiritual and physical challenge. Through the rigours and difficulties of Lent we discover much more about ourselves, our relationship with God and how our lives need to be changed so that relationship can grow closer.
One of the main objectives in Lent is to make time and space in our lives to listen more intently to God. As the Apostles heard Jesus’ voice, “Follow me,” and left everything to follow after the Lord, so we seek God’s voice, ready to answer the call to follow. We listen. We hear. We follow. That is the pattern of Christian discipleship.
A favourite poet of mine is Christina Rossetti, the wife of the pre-Raphaelite artist, Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Her writing is full of power and spirit, as well as the intricate beauty of language. Here is one of her poems that speaks clearly to our Lenten pursuits of listening and following.
“What is that to thee? follow thou me.”
Lie still, my restive hear, lie still:
God’s Word to thee saith, “Wait and bear.”
The good which He appoints is good,
The good which He denies were ill:
Yea, subtle comfort is thy care,
Thy hurt a help not understood.
“Friend, go up higher,” to one: to one,
“Friend, enter thou My joy,” He saith:
To one, “Be faithful unto death.”
For some a wilderness doth flower,
Or day’s work in one hour is done:—
“But thou, could’st thou not watch one hour?”
Lord, I had chosen another lot,
But then I had not chosen well;
Thy choice and only Thine is good:
No different lot, search heaven or hell,
Had blessed me fully understood;
None other, which Thou orderest not.