2023 Daily Lenten Journey – Day 13

When I was younger our family enjoyed road trips. One that I remember most lasted two entire weeks of ‘on the road’ experiences, spending each night in a different location. When it was all finished, our last stop was our own home. Looking back today on that trip, besides the great memories with my family, I can feel the sense of constant movement. We didn’t stay too long in any one spot. The same is true for our Lenten Journey.

We have completed two weeks of fasting and prayers. Our 2023 Daily Lenten Journey, following the daily readings from Genesis, has felt like my childhood road trip. We haven’t stopped on any one passage too long, before moving on to another. From the creation of the world to the creation of humanity, then immediately to our sin and new beginnings in the world. But every journey also has rest stops.

Saturdays and Sundays are not the same character of day then the rest of the days. We read from the New Testament and our fasting is eased off a bit. These are days of rest from the grueling schedule of Great Lent. We don’t even do prostrations on the weekends. The Church in her wisdom, guided by the Holy Spirit, understands we can’t keep going nonstop without a break.

Taking a rest doesn’t mean we’re finished. It just means we want to give our bodies and our souls a moment to refresh. I was inspired by the brief story of Saint Sophronios, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who spent his life moving from one place to another. Whether he was fleeing persecution or seeking spiritual wisdom, he never rested too long in one place. You can read a brief story of his life here.

So, today, while you are enjoying a brief break in your fasting. Don’t get too comfortable. We’ll be moving on soon enough to our next stop. This is a break, not the end.