This Lent, we invite you to take some time to lament that which you and others have lost. In her essay, “Four Steps of Lament,” Heidi Weaver invites us to:
• Rest, to take sabbath time to simply be present to our current situation;
• Reflect on that which has been lost;
• Repent for the sufferings and loss we have caused or overlooked; and
• Make Restitution and be Restored to God and to one another.

This year for our Lenten Meditations we have invited ten writers to share reflections on each of these four steps of lament. These writers are all leaders in The Episcopal Church and represent a diversity of perspectives, ministries and backgrounds. As a result, we are blessed to have a unique and rich tapestry of viewpoints on the universal experience of lament, loss and new life. Many of the authors share deeply personal and painful experiences related to a variety of issues including disease, violence, racial injustice and poverty.

Readers, come to these meditations with an open heart. What you read may challenge you and give rise to unexpected or uncomfortable feelings. We encourage you to engage the “Four Steps of Lament,” by resting, reflecting, repenting and ultimately being restored to God and to one another. Finally our wish for you is that God brings you rest this Lent so that you may reflect on your own loss and be transformed in the process. May God then restore your soul and bring you into the bright new life that is our Easter promise. And may you continue to know that you are loved now and always.
Amen.
Robert W. Radtke
President & CEO
Episcopal Relief & Development

REMEMBER

“She knew if she spoke the truth then the facts would change.”
—unknown

When I was a student activities director at the University of Vermont, a graduate assistant I supervised gave me a sign that said, “She knew if she spoke the truth then the facts would change.” Now a treasured possession, the sign reminds me to always remember the current truths that have created life-giving and life-limiting realities. The first step in reconciliation work of any kind is to tell the truth. The community gathers to remember the harm done from their perspective. And through deep listening and acknowledgment of harm, we can then build a more just and equitable community.

As we seek reconciliation not only with each other but also with God’s creation, we must engage in similar work. I have long admired our Pastors and Disasters Toolkit from Episcopal Relief & Development because it starts with this act of memory. A group of people walk around the community and speak with elders, remembering where disasters have happened in the past. By remembering the truth and acting on it, the fact that monsoons wipe out food supplies changes.

Remembering is a sticky process; it is not reliable. Today we call those who remake truth and purposely misremember, gaslighters. The Chicks’ album by this title remembers a divorce and the lessons learned by this tragedy. I love the way the song reflects our communal experience of loss through laughter, tears, communal support and a bit of dance. What hard truths and memories will heal you and your community?
—Tamara Plummer

Source: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Lent-2021-English-BlackWhite.pdf; © 2021 Episcopal Relief & Development. All rights reserved. Printed in partnership with Forward Movement.