Wendell Berry x St. Francis of Assisi

The Peace Prayer of St. Francis has been helpful for me during this last month. I find it so easy to focus on what is going on solely in my own little world, but praying this has been a reminder to look outwards and upwards.

The second stanza really gets to me as it asks God to help me focus not on being the receiver but the giver of actions that are attributed to God. The final line states "it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

For Christians, when Christ died He gave us life, but it was a new life that didn't look anything like our old one. When we die with Christ, we are essentially being reborn into this new life and stepping into this new life in the Kingdom.

I was recently introduced to Wendell Barry's Manifesto: The Mad  Farmer Liberation Front. In it, like St. Francis, Berry challenges us to take the focus off of ourselves. Both men are asking us to "do something that won't compute."

I've been in a very soul searching mood lately. Self reflection is great, but it is easy to lose sight of where I am at and who I am with. In this Lenten season, I don't want to miss where God is in the midst of it all. So here's the plan: "Practice Resurrection", so I can remember the one who gives it.

Image from https://canadianfamily.ca/activities/grow-window-sprouts/.