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

“You will not let my eyelids close; I am troubled and I cannot speak.”
—Psalm 77:4

“Nothing may be one of the best things you can do. One day every week. Do nothing.” —greensabbathproject.net

In a class on practicing a green sabbath (a sabbath that reduces our carbon emissions), my classmate pondered, “How can I take rest when there are those who cannot?” I pondered in return, “How can we not take rest? We need the energy for others.” We agreed with each other: we cannot take our rest for granted.

Throughout this harrowing pandemic, my colleagues and I led virtual trainings about maintaining personal resilience in a time of disaster. Often these trainings come at the invitation of a bishop who is trying to get staff and clergy to rest. In the training, we talk about the consequences of not resting; we can lose our minds, our faith or even our lives. While the option to rest is a privilege, if we give this one up, there can be serious consequences.

This past summer I had a lot of guilt about not going into the streets to protest racial injustice. But the truth is I am tired. I am weary because of the compounding harm of multiple traumas from pandemic to racial injustice. Therefore, I had to prioritize my health. So, I got into a car with my good friend for a day trip to my spiritual home, Nelson Pond in New Hampshire. As I sat on the familiar rock, breathing fresh air, the rejuvenating spirit of
God blessed me. I looked around and reconnected with God’s creation, and indeed, it is very good.

In what way are you able to rejuvenate your spirit today?
—Tamara

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.