Lenten Retreat

Since I have been a pastor Lent has always felt to me like a time to take a personal spiritual retreat. Yet, Lent always seemed ill suited as well, as one is also preparing for Holy Week and Easter services and as a pastor I wanted to also provide places for Lenten reflection and studies. It was difficult to let myself get away. Last year I finally simply went ahead and did it. And I discovered that Lent was a very good time for me to go on retreat. It got a little hectic after I got back because I took it the week before Palm Sunday. So I have scheduled the retreat earlier in Lent and this is feeling good.

This will be the longest retreat I have taken, 4 days. There are many things I feel I need to wrestle with God about. Also, Kate is coming along as she did last time, but by taking a longer retreat I am able to go for about a day and a half a head of her, and so will have about a day to pray and think before she arrives which I feel will be good. We'll see.

I will be praying with the monks of St Gregory's Abbey, I find it is very restorative to immerse myself in the full cycle of prayer and their life, well as much as I can as a guest. I actually like to get up at 4 am when I am there, and those who know me, know that I am a night owl, so mornings usually not my favorite time of the day.

So I am going to be away from the interwebs for the next four days. I have a couple of posts that I have been working on the past two days, and I will schedule them to post while away so you will have something from me to think about while I am away.