6 Weekly Lenten Spiritual Practices

lent spiritual practices -- purple cloth

Lord, When Did We See You?

Lent, the 40-day season to turn back to God and prepare for the miracle of Easter’s empty tomb, is the perfect time to explore Spiritual Practices. Weekly we will be taking a closer look at the Spiritual Practices of Fasting, Prayer, Hospitality and Kindness. The following practices are also found in the Matthew 25 Lenten Experience, "Lord When Did We See You?" by Donna Frischknecht Jackson, PCUSA Presbyterian Mission Agency. You can download the devotional guide at the link here:

When Did We See You pdf

Week 6: A Rule of Life

I was in prison and you visited me…

The “least of these” that Jesus mentions are those who find themselves in need. Who do you see in your community in need? Who among you is struggling? Who needs prayer? Who is a person on your path to whom you can show the love of Christ?

Weekly Spiritual Practice: Remaining Steadfast

As the time approached, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem -- Luke 9:51

It’s Monday of Holy Week and rather than introduce a new spiritual discipline to explore, let us reflect on the ones we’ve already tried throughout Lent: fasting, centering prayer, welcome and hospitality, prayer walking and speaking words of kindness. Which one did you find fulfilling? Which one was more challenging? Revisit either the fulfilling or the challenging one and commit to practicing it this week. And consider making it a goal to continue exploring spiritual practices during Eastertide, the 50 days that lead to Pentecost.

Now, let us delve into our Scripture as it is one of my favorites that I have often found myself mulling over as Holy Week begins. Luke tells us that Jesus “set his face” to go to Jerusalem, knowing all too well that there would be nothing but trouble and death awaiting him. I’ve always wanted more information, for I know when I’ve had to face something difficult “down the road,” anxiety, worry and fear would fill me. I would even try to change the direction of the path I was on. Jesus, as the Son of God, was fully human and fully divine, and so I wonder if Jesus, for just one second, wanted to turn back.

Moving forward isn’t always easy. We often want to run back at some point to what is familiar. When presented with our own “God futures” — that is, a future full of unknowns — we wistfully wish for things to go back to what feels safe and comfortable. But think about this: When we don’t take a step forward, we risk missing all the precious opportunities to serve Jesus in the least of these. Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem because he knew God wanted something new for all humankind. What would have happened if Jesus had turned back? Where would we be today?

The Good Friday cross looms. How steadfast are you in following Jesus? Are your eyes looking forward to new possibilities or do they keep sneaking a peek to a past which is just that: past. Our hopeful futures are found on those scary, dangerous, unknown paths forward.

Pray: Loving God, help us this day to be steadfast on our journeys, keeping our eyes on Jesus and trusting our unknown futures to you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ponder: Where are you on the path of life right now? Are you stuck and afraid of taking the next step? Have you been romanticizing about a past that you wish you could return to? What “step” — literally and figuratively — can you take today to enter the future God has for you?

Week 5: Words of Kindness

I was sick and you took care of me

What are the social ills that have kept many of God’s children from health and wholeness? How has a global pandemic redefined what it means to care for the sick? And for those who are imprisoned either physically or emotionally, what ministries might God be asking you this Lent to reach out to them?

Speaking Words of Kindness

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.— Proverbs 3:5,6

We’re coming to the end of the Lenten season, and there are still many spiritual practices to explore. As I was thinking about which one to introduce you to this fifth week in Lent, I kept hearing the words to the African American spiritual, “There Is a Balm in Gilead,” in which we are told there is a balm to heal the “sin-sick soul.” A healing balm in Gilead is restorative; but the words of love and hope, redemption and reparations, that we speak, are just as healing.

There is too much hateful rhetoric these days. Words have become weapons. Personally, it has led me to the spiritual practice of limiting the time I spend online and trying to model healthy social media consumption. Now more than ever, we need to be mindful of what we read, what we hear and, most of all, what we speak. We need to practice speaking words of kindness, and that, in fact, can change our lives — and the world.

There was a mother of two young boys in a church I served early in my ministry. One lazy summer day, while we were in the church parking lot watching her boys and some other children whiz by on their skateboards, we overheard a scuffle, complete with some harsh words being said. The mother stepped in and reprimanded her boys. She then gathered the children and asked them to challenge themselves to speak only kind words to one another. They didn’t look like they were sold on that idea, but she pushed further by asking them also to only speak words that were positive and hopeful.

I’m not sure what impact she had on the children, but I know she changed my life that day. I became more aware of how quick I was to sigh or grumble about something. I asked myself, “How would my outlook on a situation change if I refrained from negativity and reframed my responses more positively? What if I sought to spread words of kindness to all I met daily?” I haven’t always succeeded, but I have noticed the spiritual practice of speaking words of kindness does have the power to heal a sin-sick world. A kind word spoken — and received — eases tensions, calms rattled spirits and turns scowls into smiles.

Won’t you join me during this fifth week in Lent as we care for the sick and visit those in prison, sharing with them kind words filled with love and hope? Begin each day seeking to intentionally speak kind words to at least three people. It’s even better if your kind words are to those whom you don’t easily get along with. Post the words from Proverbs 16:24 — “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body” — some place prominently in your home where you will be reminded of their wisdom throughout your day.

Pray: God of our many journeys, may we become more aware of how you are with us each step we take in this life. Make those steps secure. Bless the path before us. Help us to walk the valleys with hope and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ponder: There are many paths we can walk in this life. As you embark on the spiritual practice of prayer walking, think about the direction God is asking you to go while you seek to live out serving others as if you are serving Jesus himself

Week 4: Prayer Walks

I was naked and you clothed me

In the Bible, nakedness is about spiritual and physical vulnerability. As we enter the fourth week in Lent, think about what “garments” we can clothe the most vulnerable with. Now think about how vulnerable we allow ourselves to be with one another. How easily do we reveal our weaknesses and fears? How often do we admit that we need a mantel of help to be placed over our drooping shoulders?

Prayer Walks

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.— Proverbs 3:5,6

Henry David Thoreau once wrote that “an early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” A walk can indeed be a blessing. It can even be a powerful spiritual practice, especially in the season of Lent when walking can be a metaphor for “walking with Christ to the cross.”

Prayer walks do not have to be long. Even a 15-minute walk can be spiritually refreshing. The walks can be anywhere: in a city park, around a suburban block or out on a rural unbeaten path. Wherever the prayer walk takes place, leave your earbuds at home so no music will distract you. But do take with you a piece of Scripture to pray over and over as you walk.

While you’re walking, notice how your body falls into a rhythm. Feel the surface beneath your feet — how it grounds and centers you. Look at the sky above you. Notice the colors and the shapes of the clouds. Listen for the sounds around you. What do you hear?

Now look for the glimpses of the Divine. See the tree buds waking up from their slumber. Can you find a crocus peeking out from the ground? Finally, pray. If you’re walking in your neighborhood, pray for your neighbors. If your walk takes you into a downtown business section, pray for the local businesses. If you are out in nature, pray for God’s Creation to be healed and humans to become better stewards of the gifts found in nature. When you return from your walk, don’t quickly resume your regular schedule. Take a moment to reflect on how the walk made you feel.

Week 3: Welcoming Hospitality

I was a stranger and you welcomed me

Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward. — Matthew 10:40–42

What is your initial reaction when meeting a stranger? Is there hesitancy, suspicion or even disinterest? Recall a time when you were the stranger to someone. How were you received?

When we think of spiritual practices, what often comes to mind are activities that are contemplative, such as reading Scripture, praying and meditating. By its very definition, though, a spiritual practice — that is “an activity done regularly that furthers one’s spiritual experience” — can also include that of “welcoming.”

In this third week in Lent, we hear Jesus’ words from Matthew 25 about welcoming strangers. But what exactly does it mean to welcome others? And how can welcoming be a spiritual practice?

To truly be welcoming and show hospitality to strangers, we must look within ourselves and ask what the preconceived ideas are we have of others — what are our biases and prejudices that exclude and hurt. The spiritual practice of welcome and hospitality begins by recognizing how small we sometimes make our circle of belonging and by seeking ways to widen it.

In his book “Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life,” Henri J.M. Nouwen wrote, “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.”

Here are some ideas to begin exploring welcome as a spiritual practice this week:

Identify someone in your workplace, community organizations or congregation whom you have never taken the time to get to know. Begin a conversation with them.
Broaden not only your social circle, but think about the books you read, the TV shows you watch, etc. Challenge yourself to add diverse voices to your reading list. Watch documentaries about people or subjects you are not familiar with. Welcoming strangers is about listening to their stories.

Pray: Welcoming God, you call us each by name and embrace us with open arms — no matter how far we might have strayed from you. Help us in this Lenten season to become more welcoming of all your children. Just as you love us, may we love others. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ponder: Take time today to think about your circle of belonging. Who is missing from it?

Week 2: Centering Prayer

Here’s what I want you to do:

Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God.
Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.
The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
— Matthew 6:6 (The Message)

“Centering Prayer” is a spiritual activity with roots in the ancient monastic practice of “Lectio Divina,” which is Latin for “divine reading.” Monks would select Scripture and read it several times, noting what words captivated, intrigued and resonated with them. The Scripture would be read again slowly.

When Vatican II sought to revive the contemplative practices of early Christianity, three Trappist monks at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts — Fathers William Meninger, Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating —developed a simple method of silent prayer for today’s faithful. The prayer came to be known as “Centering Prayer,” referring to Thomas Merton’s description of contemplative prayer as “prayer that is centered entirely on the presence of God.”

Centering Prayer is a powerful spiritual practice that helps to slow our racing thoughts. It provides a space to listen to and connect with God. In this second week in Lent, make a commitment to practice Centering Prayer each day, using that day’s Scripture reading as your focus.

Steps of Centering Prayer

Step 1: Choose a sacred word
A sacred word can be just about anything that is on your heart. Some people embrace the word “God” or “Jesus.” But it your word can be “holy,” “joy,” “help”— again, anything that is on your heart that speaks to you can be your sacred and centering word.

Step 2: Sit with that word
Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, introduce the sacred word into your thoughts, presenting it to God and praying over it.

Step 3: Remain with the word
Don’t worry if you get distracted during this prayer time. Gently return to the word or phrase you have chosen to center your prayer on. When you are done praying, remain still and silent for a few more minutes before reengaging with the world.

Pray: God who spoke through prophets and mystics, may we hear your beautiful voice speak to us this day as we turn back to you and make time to be still and listen. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ponder: Mystics have long known the importance of quiet contemplation, but in our busy and noisy lives there isn’t much opportunity for the holy silences that we need to hear God. What would we need to change in our lives to create more quiet moments?

Week 1: Fasting

As the first week in Lent begins, we will look at the traditional Lenten practice of fasting.

As we see in Matthew 4, fasting is a practice that helps strengthen our reliance on God. The grumbling of our stomachs reminds us of our prayer for — and provision of— daily bread. It also helps us connect to those for which hunger is not a privileged, practiced and temporary discomfort, but a harsh reality brought about by the many food injustices in this world. Fasting is not a “Christian diet” nor is it a way to be holier than others. Fasting is about creating a “hungering space” for Jesus to enter your lives.

As this week’s focus is on seeing the Lord in those who hunger, commit to a time of fasting. There are many ways to fast — not just from food. Here are some ideas:

Make time this week for a partial fast. Choose a morning to refrain from food and use the time you would have spent on making breakfast to pray. Break the fast at noon. Or perhaps, make your fast be one that foregoes dinner.
Fasting can be refraining from a certain food or drink that you feel you can’t live without. Did someone mention coffee? Chocolate?
Fasting doesn’t have to be food centric. Try a social media fast or a fast from checking emails constantly. Perhaps use one day as a “No Electronics Day.”

Whatever you choose to fast from, and decide the duration of the fast, reflect on

these questions:

What cravings/addictions have a hold on you?
What do you find the most uncomfortable about the fast you have chosen?
What physical discomfort have you experienced? How does this connect you with others who are suffering?
What have been some insights or realizations that have come to you from fasting?

No matter how you decide to explore the spiritual practice of fasting this week, remember you are not striving for perfection. If you give in and eat or drink something sooner than you had wanted, or checked an email after promising to log off, that is OK. Fasting is about making us more aware of creating a space in our lives to have more room for God to enter in. Fasting opens us up to our need for more reliance on Christ in our lives.

Pray: God of daily bread, this week in Lent, help us to enter the hunger of the world around us so that we become more aware of those who are standing in need of our help. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Ponder: What is God asking you to fast from this week?