Reading Matthew 6, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal," we wonder what then we should be up to as disciples of Jesus. Admittedly, we are tempted to fill our lives with treasure that does not last or provide real connection to the Lord. So what are we supposed to be up to in this season of Lent as we contemplate our connection with Jesus?
Our Lenten series from Marcia McFee and the team of Worship Design Studio suggests that we consider the poem from Mary Oliver, "The Summer Day" and seek the answers to a question posed when she writes:
"I do not know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done?"
Maybe in this season of Lent, we might be focused on storing up the things that bring us closer to the reign of God, the good things — the treasures — that fill us and others with well-being of body, mind, and spirit. Matthew's gospel goes on to say, "For where your treasure is there also will be your heart."
In reading and examining the poem from Mary Oliver, perhaps we could focus our hearts in the small things that we can do to stay centered on who we are, where God has placed us, and what abundance God is putting in front of us each day.
Blessings for a Holy Lent,
Pastor Paul