Pastoral Musings

March brings with it the promise of Spring just around the corner. After

our cold and snowy winter, this is a welcome relief. I took a look at my piece

for the Oak Leaves from last March and noticed that by the end of February,

a few crocus were already peeking out of the ground alongside the house next

door. Alas, as I write this in February this year, all I see in that space is a pile of

snow. But I know the crocus are still there, awaiting their opportunity to shine

once again. And I am looking forward to witnessing that first sign of Spring’s re-

birth.

This March, we are well into our Lenten Season – a time set aside for

faithful reflection as we anticipate the joyful news of Easter Morning. While we

may not be “giving up” something for Lent, this season does offer us the

opportunity to settle into a time of quiet introspection. In a world in which we are

often bombarded by competing voices and opinions, Lent invites us to

listen to the one voice that truly matters – the voice of God as expressed in the

personhood of Jesus Christ.

I know it can be a challenge to carve out space for quiet reflection when so

much is calling for our attention. However, maybe there’s the possibility of finding

five or ten minutes in a day to quiet the clatter, perhaps by focusing on a single

verse from Scripture, such as the following from Psalm 46: “Be still, and know

that I am God!” Any shift in our focus, no matter how small, opens us to

witnessing God’s presence and blessings.

As we seek out those first signs of Spring, may we also take this Lenten Season

as a time to seek – and to find – the signs of God’s love and care all around us.

Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Linda