(re)Discovering the Mercy of God
March 4-25, 2021
laggard (noun): a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others
laggard (adjective): slower than desired or expected.
The retreat
This retreat is for you who are struggling, or feeling overwhelmed, and who never quite got started on Lent on either Ash Wednesday or the First Sunday in Lent, but who also wish to observe this holy season in some form.
Beginning on Thursday in the second week in Lent, March 4, we will meditate on the mercy of God together for three weeks, finishing on March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.
Can we discover new forms of ancient Lenten practices (prayer, fasting, and almsgiving) that can renew our spirits as we wander and stumble on the road? How can we open ourselves to the love of God made visible in Jesus amid the struggles and pressures in our lives?
Lent is a time of conversion (from the Latin words for "turn" and "with"), of turning both inward in self-examination and toward our neighbors. Most of all, it is a turning toward the Holy One and renewing our awareness of the grace of God. Join us.
The retreat will feature meditations, poems, prayers, and Scripture passages as well as some images and music. It will also include invitations and encouragement to practice simple spiritual exercises.
All of these will come every two or three days for the duration of the retreat.
As
in our other online retreats, this one will include, but not require,
opportunities for written conversation with other participants. Those
conversations take place in the comments sections of the blog posts.
These posts, with the resources, guidance, support, and comment sections take place on a private blog open only to people who have registered for the retreat. Once you have registered for the retreat, you will receive instructions on getting onto the retreat blog.
An innovation for this year will be two live sessions per week
(usually an hour long) on Zoom, with some
meditative quiet time followed by an opportunity to share our responses
to the readings and other resources as well as our experiences with the
retreat's spiritual exercises. Participants are only required to participate in one conversation per week
but I am scheduling two per week so as to accommodate people's varied
schedules and locations.
As things stand now, our live sessions for the Lent for Laggards retreat will be Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. Eastern
Time. If one or the other of these times is problematic, we can
replace it with another time. I
will send out Zoom links on a weekly basis via e-mail; they will not be
posted publicly.
How much time will this retreat take? What will I need?
You'll need a computer or tablet with an internet connection.
At a minimum, you will need to log onto the retreat blog to read, gaze, and/or listen twice a week for 20 minutes or so each time. (Three times a week and 30 minutes is even better, but work with your own schedule and daily life.)
You will also need to attend one of the two online one-hour sessions per week. (You are welcome to attend both if you wish.)
You will need to commit to integrating the insights and practices of the retreat into your daily life, but how, when, and how much is completely up to you. This kind of retreat is suited for both morning persons and p.m. persons! You can adapt reflection, prayer, and practice to your personal and work schedule. I'll be there for support and information if you need a consultation.Please write me with any questions or concerns.
Registration and cost
--The drop-down menu below shows the payment scale.--Some discounts are available for those in financial hardship. Talk to me.--At the other end of the spectrum, the benefactor rate helps offset costs and makes discounted rates and scholarship aid possible.
Thomas Merton, Companion on the Way
Lent for Life: Renewing Body and Spirit
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