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

REST

“I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
—Psalm 4:8

It may seem out of place to be talking about rest. We live in troubled and hurried times. Everyone has been forced to change their routine. The number of people suffering from sleep disorders and insomnia is on the rise; others can sleep, but their minds find no rest. Yet resting is vital for our physical, mental and spiritual health. Spiritual health requires spending quality time resting and meditating.

Let’s go back to the ninth century BCE. In the midst of a crisis, King David expressed his total trust in God. At the time, he felt unjustly persecuted and slandered, so he cried out with hope that God would intervene. In response, he received peace “that surpasses all understanding.” This made him forget his life’s tragedies. He slept in divine calm—a peace that no commotion could interrupt.

Today I’m inviting you to offer your thoughts to God and to rest in God so that you may receive that same peace in your body, mind and spirit. “For only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” All those who put their faith and hope in God will dwell in safety!
—Patricia Martin

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.