February 22, 2023
Dear Allen Temple Family and Friends,
It's Ash Wednesday! The first day of the Lenten Season. It is the time where we intentionally reflect and remember the journey of Jesus to the cross and what that means for us in our journey. Personally, it is also a period of recommitment.
It's been so long since I have written. Although cathartic for me, the pace of the last 4 years has distracted me, from me. I have found the danger of living the Christian life is the same for us as it was for Jesus. It is best characterized by the temptation Jesus faced in the wilderness. Henri Nouwen, in his book In the Name of Jesus, frames the temptation this way. Jesus was tempted to forego his God-given mission and purpose in exchange for RELEVANCE, POWER and the SPECTACULAR. (Luke 4:1-13)
The residual Impact of a global pandemic in every area our lives has forced adaptations, adjustments, and changes we never imagined. It is the temptation of all humanity to somehow be relevant, spectacular, and powerful in the spaces in which we live. It fuels our frantic pace. It informs the decisions we make and the opportunities we take or reject. It even influences what we prioritize and value. But Jesus had taken 40 days and answered the invitation God still extends to us today. What is this invitation? I believe we are all being invited this Lenten Season to CENTER DOWN! Centering Down is the practice of stillness, silence, waiting and contemplation. It is rooted in the Quaker tradition that believes Christ speaks. Ours is to position ourselves in ways that allow us to hear Christ and obey.
Howard Thurman suggests in his meditation "How Good It Is to Center Down", that it is when we center down, that we hear the questions of our lives that persist even in the face of temptation. "What are we doing with our lives? - What are the motives that order our day? What is the end in our doings? Where are we trying to go? Where do we put the emphasis and where are our values focused? For what end do we make sacrifices? Where is my treasure and what do I love most in life? What do I hate most in life and to what am I true?"
Perhaps you are like me this season, a bit worn and weary. A bit grieved and bereaved. A bit disconsolate yet grateful. If so, I invite you to join me on this journey for the next 40 days and accept the invitation to CENTER DOWN - hear Christ and answer the questions that persist! Let me know! Journey doesn't seem as long when you bring somebody with you.
My prayer today - Lord lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory-forever! Amen.
Read Howard Thurman’s full meditation here.
Centering Down,
Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson
Senior Pastor
