Davison's Doodle

Lent: 2011 Discipline

What are you adding to your life during Lent that is a discipline?  Some believers and non-believers “give up” (for 40 days not counting weekends) something that he/she feels essential in their living following a catholic tradition (theology) of trying to get in touch with the suffering Christ.  It is always interesting to me what protestants will try, to recapture, some “mystery” that apparently is lacking from their expression of faith.  Are you giving up Lent for Lent?  One year in college, I gave up Lent for Lent as a way of expressing my autonomy and at that time, disdain, for much of Christian mysticism.  I’ve mostly grown up since then and an attitude of respectful curiosity has replaced disdain.  Over the years I’ve added a discipline to my daily routine as my observance of the journey with Jesus to Jerusalem that Christendom calls, Lent.  A few lent practices I’ve tried: silence, service to others, reading, fund raising for a local charity, observing humanity at the mall, and inviting a stranger to share lunch at the food court.  This year I’ve returned to writing.  I don’t publish nearly as much of my own thoughts to this blog as I once did.  Schedules, making time and space to put words to paper (type on screen) have given way to work and deadlines.  My discipline this year will require no more than a hour a day of reflection and writing; the end result will be my own Psalm.

One of the joys (perks) of being married to my companion, Lisa, who is a First Testament biblical scholar, is that I get to listen in on her thinking, study, and exploration of scripture.  Lisa’s dissertation was on Psalm 119.  This acrostic psalm, the longest of all psalms, is a teaching tool about Torah.  Lisa did a grammatical study of the psalm she titled, “Your Word Is a Lamp unto my Feet”: A Study of the Vocabulary, Grammar and Semantics of Psalm 119.  Have you ever thought of writing your own psalm or gospel account?  I’ve suggested this as a discipline for Lent to many youth and decided this year to take up the challenge, the discipline myself.  This year I am writing my own acrostic psalm.  I do not fancy myself a poet and that is not what I am going for with this work.  Like those ancient writers, I am aiming at self expression of my experience of God, God’s teaching (Torah), and my experience of following Jesus.  It is how I practice my Christianity.  Every couple of days I will publish a new stanza of my Psalm for Lent.  I begin the first day of Lent with these words.

Astronomy Domine(1), the world is a stage for Your creative power,
answering to timeless voice that speaks into existence;
all colors, shapes, spirits, and religions.

Almighty is one given name,
awe and wonder
afterbirth of moments in Your presence.

Alluring grace that shows the path to Truth,
attend the petitions of this earth bound misfit, I.(2)

Breathe wisdom into chaos,
before fear and anger take hold;
blinding relationships and connections from past to tomorrow.

Balance the questions, feelings, and misguidedness,
bare the belief that kills in Your name or looks away for cheaper things;
break the cup of apathy, numbness to suffering, and the heart’s greed.

Blessed assurance of free will and divine Image,
bequeath justice, peace, kin-dom instead of kingdom living.