The rock that I hold tightly to

 

Over six weeks of Lent I will be reflecting on different ‘rocks’ that we could be moving away for ourselves. The rock being moved away from the tomb on Easter day points to a life of freedom and to life itself. There are rocks in our own lives that we can move for ourselves and sometimes it is fear that prevents us from moving it.

Lent is traditionally a time of giving up something so I’m starting with that thought. Maybe not something like chocolate or alcohol or sugar, but a really testing thing, something that we hold on too tightly to?

There’s a well-known story of a monkey who puts his hand in a jar to take some food but because it’s now made a fist he can’t pull out his fist as well as what he is holding.  He finds he is trapped. We sometimes have our hand in the jar and we are not prepared to let go of what we are holding.

What if I give up something that is precious to me?

We probably have no idea of the blessings that are prepared ahead of us for the time when we are willing to let go. But if our hands are empty we are ready to receive something new. That new thing may be totally surprising and it may scare us to let go of what is in our hands for it to be replaced by something that we can’t anticipate or know nothing of.

What are we holding too tightly to? Perhaps we can stop grasping for things that stop us receiving the blessing? What are those things? Power, control, status, money, security or recognition? They are common things for us to hold on to too tightly.

We think we need these things, whereas they’re actually stopping us from receiving a better gift.

A grasping hand cannot be open to receive. The rock that we know can be blocking a better plan, blocking our freedom to receive.

Are we prepared to lose something to receive something else? Maybe the new thing won’t be as significant as what we thought we needed or wanted, but we can never second guess God’s plans. And I generally find that they are better than my own.

He is the ultimate gift giver.

Prayer or Reflection

Lord God, please help me to stop grasping on too tightly to things. Help me to trust, to let go and have hands open to receive your blessing. I want to move that rock that prevents me from receiving from you. Help me not to be fearful of what I might lose, but rather look to you and trust you for what I might gain. Amen

 

I give up

On a rainy summer’s day, during a game of Monopoly last year, I placed (with some delight) three hotels along my favourite colour, the oranges. Slowly, however, I became surrounded. The pinks and then the yellows and finally the greens went to other members of the family which all threatened my negotiations and a possible win. I eventually picked up the Chance card only to be told to ‘Advance to Pall Mall’. There was a hotel there. I offered my Water Works card and my last £80 in cash and promised not to charge them for their next Vine Street landing, to no avail. I had to give up.

Our nature is often not to give up willingly.

Many of us will be starting today by thinking of giving up something though and so it seems very appropriate for Lent to begin on Valentine’s Day. The ultimate ‘giving up’ of life on Good Friday that we now travel towards. The giving up of life, for ours, out of love.

This Valentine’s Day we might remember that we are deeply loved. And so I hope you won’t be upset if you’re not receiving chocolates or flowers; there’s already been a much greater gesture made for you.

Jesus gave up his life; God gave up his only son. We can but imagine the full impact of that giving up.  How do we respond to such a humble self-giving?

So what are you giving up today?

Can we possibly give something up of ourselves this Lent? Our ego, shouting out to have its way, exerting its power and its need to be right; can we give up something of that? Can we, over the next forty days, and starting with the day set aside for lovers, remember the ultimate ‘giving up’ and see that we may, as we journey, learn to let go of some of the things that we seek to negotiate, bargain with and want so much to cling on to?

Richard Rohr, in his book Immortal Diamond, says that “Jesus’ central and oft-repeated teaching that we must die to ourselves, or “lose ourselves to find ourselves” (Mark 8:35)” is intended for our “personal liberation”. Can we begin Lent with a response of letting go, that leads to freedom and, ultimately, a greater peace?

A Reflection or Prayer

I don’t really want to give up much of myself

That might hurt more than the hurts I hold to –

Giving them away

Seems like losing the things that protect me

That draw people to me.

Can I know a bigger love

And a more expansive me?

A self that is happy to give away –

And give something up of myself

That I might find myself.