Easter is here, and we are invited to joy, hope and abundance. Jesus is risen! God has won the day! Alleluia!
And yet, though the days of the calendar continue to march on, we may need some time to process all that has transpired in these days of Lent. We would do well, in fact, to hold our Lenten journey up like a precious gem, inspecting it anew in the light of Easter.
And so, I share with you this brief, three-part examen prayer to accompany you in these early days of Easter.
Give thanks for the journey of Lent.
Call to mind a moment during those forty days when God felt particularly near. How did that feel? Like a warm embrace? An affirming pat on the back? A cozy blanket? What images come to mind as you think of this moment? Where were you? What were you doing? Was this a moment of intentional, sustained prayer? Or, did God surprise you? Who were you with, or — if you were alone — who was on your mind? Now, call to mind what you did in the moments that followed this consolation. How did you put God’s love into action?
Now, think of a moment during Lent when God felt very far away. Perhaps this moment was spurred on by a personal crisis or a cursory glance at the latest headlines. Perhaps your prayer felt dry and your body tired. Perhaps there was tension in your home, in your muscles, in your relationships, in your heart. Who are the people that helped or can help you move slowly through this period of desolation? What are the rituals — prayer, exercise, conversation and so on — that you turned to or can turn to as a pathway out of these spiritual woods?
As you hold these two moments in your prayer, what is God hoping you will see? What is God inviting you to? How did these moments continue to unfold during Holy Week?
Give thanks for the stories of Holy Week.
During Holy Week, you walked with Jesus as he experienced profound pain, suffering and betrayal, and eventually death. What moment during this week most struck you? Was it Jesus’ humble entry into Jerusalem? His final meal with his friends? His ardent prayer in the garden? His betrayal? His trial? Or any one of the painful stations he passed through while bearing his cross? Which image most resonates with you — and why? Is Jesus inviting you to share in his suffering in some intimate way? Is Jesus reaching out a hand to share in your suffering?
As you turn over in your mind your chosen Holy Week image, ask the Holy Spirit to help you feel deeply the pain present in this moment — not just as a story from the distant past but as present-day suffering. Who is Jesus inviting you to go to and offer a word of comfort? Where in this moment in our world do you need to give particular attention?
Rejoice in the light of the Risen Lord!
In reflecting on your Lenten journey and Holy Week pilgrimage, Jesus has shown you a moment of consolation, a moment of desolation and a unique mission given to you to alleviate suffering in our world. Now, give thanks that you do not walk alone; the Risen Lord meets you on the road and walks with you. What do you feel? Fear? Hesitation? Worry? Inadequacy? That’s alright. Jesus walks with you in these emotions, too. Invite Jesus to companion you as you wrestle with these feelings. And think of how long Jesus walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus — how long Jesus walked with them as they journeyed in the wrong direction!
As you set out on your unique Easter path, look around you: Jesus walks with you, of course, but so do so many others! Who are the companions who journey alongside you? How can you, together, cultivate a spirit of Easter joy as you continue the work of realizing God’s great dream for our world?
Amen. Alleluia. Happy Easter!
