This Lent

“What do you look forward to during this Lent?” I saw this question on social media and I began to post a quick reply. But then I heard more words forming but I could only hear a few. So I closed the social app and opened the writing app and listened. And here is what I heard.

This Lent I look forward to turning inward.
Not inward to the God in me,
to the God who is me,
for there is no such thing,
but to the God Who IS,
Who lives in me if and when
I am in a state of grace and have received Him
through the sacraments.

This Lent I look forward to Meeting
the God Who is Other.
Not the other I might meet on the street
though He may be hidden there,
but the Other Who is
wholly and completely Other,
beyond all time, beyond all space,
And beyond knowing, unless
He chooses to reveal Himself.
Or at least, beyond knowing
before He chose to be born
In all humility in a stable.

Shepherds knew Him because Angels appeared to them
and sang the Good News to them.
Magi found Him because a star appeared to them,
and they followed it,
looking for Him where they expected to find Him.
Expecting to find a king, they inquired of a king.
And the Holy Innocents were slaughtered in their wake.

This Lent I look forward to Knowing,
heart to heart,
not mere knowing about,
mere abstract knowing,
playing with ideas, with words.
And further along,
Knowing as I am Known
by the One Who is the Word.

This Lent I look forward to Hearing
the still small voice within me.
Not the voice of my own ranting
but the Voice of the One Who Knew me
before granting me life by knitting my bones
in my mother’s womb,
Who uttered these simple words
and uttered me into being, saying simply:

Let there be Lee.