March 8, 2023

 

 

Dear Allen Temple Family and Friends,

 

It's the third Wednesday of this Lenten Season where we have all been given the invitation to CENTER DOWN as we journey to the cross.

 

As promised, I set my timer and practiced stillness and silence. I said last week I would tell you what I heard. I heard everything. I heard the birds chirping and the refrigerator humming. I heard the leaves rustling in response to the wind. I heard a million inner thoughts I had to intentionally ignore. But interestingly what captured me more, was what I felt. Five minutes of silence and stillness felt like an excruciating sacrifice. So I've wrestled all week with why. Sir Thomas Aquinas, 13th century philosopher and theologian, has helped me to understand why.

 

Aquinas, a product of St. Augustine and Aristotle, suggested that we have lost the true meaning of sacrifice. He believed a sacrifice required something to be "done" to the object being offered to God. His definition is based on the Latin word sacrificium. Sacer (holy) and facere (do or make). A sacrifice is the act of making-holy. We see this over and over again in the Old Testament offering system. Grain offerings were burned, drink offerings were poured out, and animals sacrificed their lives. We will see this repeated as we get closer to the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.  Aquinas seemed to be suggesting that what we choose to offer as a sacrifice to God is only a sacrifice if it changes us. As I contemplated this thought in my excruciating times of silence, I heard the Psalmist support Aquinas, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken spirit and a contrite heart, the Lord will not despise." (Psalm 51:17) 

 

In light of this, I must admit that often what I have chosen to give up or take on during Lent has been no sacrifice at all. It's been inconvenient and perhaps undesirable but has not risen to the level of sacrifice. I now see that the practice of stillness and silence felt excruciating because it was a breaking. It was a break in MY set agenda; a break in MY to do list; a break in how I planned MY day. The Spirit was doing in 5 minutes a day what giving up sweets has never done: breaking MY will.

 

Jesus went away to solitary places often to pray and be alone. I am convinced now more than ever that it was these small, consistent sacrificial offerings are what gave him the strength to say, "Nevertheless not MY will but THY will Lord be done".

 

Did you give up something for Lent? Is it breaking or changing you? If what you're giving up isn't changing you, change what you're giving up..only then will it become a sacrifice.

 

Until next week...

 

Centering Down,

Dr. Jacqueline A. Thompson

Senior Pastor