Yesterday morning I woke up feeling utterly spent. My/our good friend’s funeral had been the night before. Hundreds of people had come to the wake and her wonderful funeral–and it was truly wonderful–and needless to say I am exhausted both from my own shock and grief at her death as well as from helping her family from out of town with all the funeral details and packing up her house before they leave to go home. So yesterday morning, Ash Wednesday, I woke up feeling very, very poor and spent and thinking, “I have utterly nothing left to give.” And at that moment there was a little nudge inside me, reminding me that that is exactly the best place to be at the beginning of Lent: poor and spent. The best place for God to be able to love me–which is the point of Lent. Repentance basically is our attempt to get rid of all that separates from Him and His love. It’s not about giving up things–it’s about giving up what separates us from His love. As it says in Hosea: I am going to lure her and lead her out into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her heart (Hosea 2.14) God wants to speak tenderly to each of our hearts this Lent. Let’s not get so caught up in giving up things for the sake of giving up things that we miss that.
(for a related post, see “When you feel like you have nothing left to give”)
Witnesses to Hope 
We are so loved that God even wants to help us with our repentance. He knows more than we can say, how incapable we are doing anything apart from Him. I await with longing His allurement.
Sr Dorcee,
Thank you for your reflection today. For a variety of other reasons I woke Ash Wednesday morning in the very same “boat.” I was so spent that my boss sent me home for the day which I ended up taking as a retreat day – prayer and sleep all day! During my time, the Lord spoke the same words to me and I had the same nudge – it’s a very good place to be in the beginning of Lent. I also believe the Scripture verse in your blog confirmed all this as it is a passage Jesus has given me in the past. Thank you!! Many blessings, Carolyn
Thank you for all you do Sister. Sorry you feel so drained but the Funeral Mass was very important to us. How we regret missing our opportunities to know Debbie better but we learned more Tuesday night because of your effort. Debbie’s life, what a beautiful gift. Thank you Lord for the gift of the Servants of God’s Love and for Lent!
We were all commenting last night at dinner about how touched we were that so many of our parents were there. Thank you for loving us so well.
So sorry to hear about Deb’s death. I am praying for her family and for her sisters and friends. One of the books I have chosen to read during Lent is about not fearing death. Even as followers of Christ that passage is a scary one to consider. May we all have peace at that time as we ‘take his hand’ and he walks us home. Love to you and God’s blessings.
Sandy, so nice to hear from you! We are slowly recovering from the emotional and physical drain of the past week(s). Tonight we’re all (SGL) going to take some time for our “wake” for Deb and tomorrow night for a great time of praise and worship. She, indeed, has attained the better portion.