Journey Through Lent: Reflections on Growth and Transformation

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Lent 1 Lent 1

This week as we begin our Lenten journey we plant a grain of wheat to remember that in each thing there is a beginning. (Action: a grain of wheat is placed into a bowl of soil)

Like a grain of wheat beginning the solitary journey into silence, we wait. Like a grain of wheat burying deep into the cloak of the earth, we wait. Like a grain of wheat about to germinate, we wait.

Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds onto life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you ll have it forever, real and eternal. (John 12: 24-25)

We move deep into the silent places, We will listen to all that we hear. We move deep into the earth, We will look at all that we find. We let go our husk, we risk what we are, And we live in hope and trust.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Lent 2 Lent 2

This week as we continue our Lenten journey we place strong plants to remember that there is a time for growing. (Action: place a flourishing plant)

Prepare the soil of our hearts, that the roots of your love and wisdom may weave into us your heart of compassion and justice.

A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn t put down any roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on the good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. Are you listening to this? Really listening? . (Matthew 13:3-9)

Take the hardness of our hearts And soften them with your loving kindness. Take the roughness of our hearts An smooth them with your loving kindness. Take the weeds that entangle our hearts And untangle them with your loving kindness. Take the good soil within our hearts And grow us into the likeness of your loving kindness.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Lent 3 Lent 3

This week as we continue our Lenten journey we cut the wheat from the stem as we harvest the grains. (Action: Prune a little away from the plants)

Search our hearts and prune away all that does not bear fruits of grace and compassion.

He cuts off every branch in me that doesnt bear grapes. And every branch that is grape- bearing he prunes back so that it will bear even more. (John 15:2-3)

Prune from us all that which does not reflect your love That we might bear the fruits of love justice and mercy Clear the space in our lives That we might bear the fruits of your love justice and mercy Take the fruits that we bear And lead us in your way of love justice and mercy

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Lent 4 Lent 4

This week as we continue our Lenten journey we grind the grains of wheat to remember that they must be changed to become bread. (Action: Place two stones and a handful of seeds)

Take all that we are and join it with your heart of love so that it may be ground it into a meal for all to share.

Now the manner was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. (Numbers 11: 8)

We will receive what God provides With glad and thankful hearts We will take what God provides And beat, grind, boil and bake it We will share what God provides So all will be fed and the kingdom will be nearer.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Lent 5 Lent 5

This week as we continue our Lenten journey we mix the flour, the water, the salt and the yeast as we prepare the bread dough. (Action: Mix flour, salt, water and yeast in large bowl)

In the turbulence of, where all is cast into the bowl, we live with our own longing for wrongs righted and injustices overturned. We work and wait for just hospitality, for guns turned into gardening forks and for locked turnstiles turned into open doors. We work, and we wait.

Gods kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread and waits while the dough rises. (Matthew 13:33)

Where fear closes borders and the knocking grows louder, We will be yeast in the world. Where bombs are hurled and the injured stand firm, We will work for change. Where governments resist and the poor respond, We will be part of the reaction.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Palm Sunday Palm Sunday

This week as we approach Jerusalem we cover the dough and allow it to prove as we remember both the furious actions and the standing firm. (Action: Cover bowl of dough with a tea towel)

Like the yeast growing within the dough all is bubbling with reaction and the possibility of resolution. Like the dough responding to the yeast there is questioning and wanting to be certain but knowing insecurity: Dare we dream? Dare we even believe?

Im sure now Ill see Gods goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don t quit. I ll say it again: Stay with God. (Psalm 27: 13-14)

When the journey is long and our minds and bodies weary, We will walk with Jesus. When injustice is spiralling and hopes shattering, We will anger with Jesus. When love seems lost in clamour and crowd, We will stand firm with Jesus.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Good Friday Good Friday

Today as we sit at the foot of the cross we knock back our once risen dough as we remember Jesus beaten and nailed upon the cross. (Action: knock back risen dough)

The dough in which we hoped is pummelled and knocked back. Jesus, in whom we had hope, is nailed to a cross. God of broken bodies and bruised souls, remain as close as the yeast is to the flour and live in our flesh and bone.

At noon the sky became extremely dark. The darkness lasted three hours. At three o clock, Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly... my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? . (Mark 15:33-34)

Where minds are tortured with memory and loss, We believe that you are there. Where bodies are damaged with assault and terror, We believe that you are there. Where Jesus is broken and nailed to a cross, We believe that you are there.

HOLYHABITS Lent Liturgy Lent Liturgy Easter Sunday Easter Sunday

Today as we celebrate the joy of Easter we offer a risen loaf as we remember the resurrection life offered for all creation. (Action: Place freshly baked loaf of bread)

Like Mary we look for a time where light streaks through the darkness. Like Thomas we look for a moment of unshakable certainty amongst the doubt. And like the disciples we look for glimpses of resurrection in the everyday things.

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdelene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, They took the Master from the tomb. We don t know where they ve put him . (John 20:1-2)

In working, wondering and eating, Jesus lives among us! In talking, listening and the stranger on the road, Jesus lives among us! And in the rising and sharing of bread, Jesus is among us!