The Benedictine roots of the Cathedral are deep, so its good to be reminded of what St Benedict says about the observance of Lent.
According to The Rule, Lent should be characterised by prayer, reading, compunction of heart and self-denial. Following this ancient wisdom may enable us all to be renewed this Lent.
Prayer is paying attention, offering our minds and hearts to God. There’s a story about a visitor to the monastery who seeks advise about prayer from a monk. The visitor talks and talks. The monk offers him a drink and pours water into a cup. When the cup is full he still keeps pouring. Eventually the visitor says, ‘Stop! The cup is overflowing.’ ‘Just so,’ says the monk, ‘and you are so full of your own thoughts, how can you make space for God?’ Lent is a time to offer God room in our minds and hearts.
Lent is a time for reading and putting good things into our cup of attention and ideas. Reading scripture with a commentary helps us deepen in understanding. There are also many fine books for Lent, including ‘The things that He carried’ by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, focus for the Cathedral Lent group. I’m reading his new book, ‘Godforsaken. The Cross – the greatest hope of all.’
Benedict teaches that Lent is a time for ‘compunction of the heart.’ Compunction is what prevents us doing something bad or follows when we have. It shows a liveliness of awareness and conscience. This is the opposite of the stony cold heart. ‘And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.’ (Ezekiel 36: 26 – 27)
Lent is a time for self-denial, that is, learning how to say ‘no’ to the habits that aren’t doing us any good, how to focus less on ourselves and more on others.
The wonderful thing about observing Lent is that it always leads to Easter, and to joy.
There is a Medieval saying about Benedict’s Rule: ‘A lamb can bathe in it without drowning, while an elephant can swim in it’. The Rule is part of the great river, fresh and deep, of Christian wisdom and tradition. For all who are thirsty, wounded, worn-out or in need of refreshment, God is calling. ‘Deep calls to deep’ and everyone is invited to respond. I pray that each of us will hear God’s call and observe a holy, joyful Lent.
Do look out for a beautiful Holy Week booklet, soon to be available on line and in print in the cathedral. It explains more of what goes on during this special week and how you can enter into it more deeply.
The Very Revd Catherine Ogle
Dean of Winchester
