For this limited series, we asked recipients of the Harry Denman Evangelism Award, “How are you tending your soul this Lent?” We’re grateful to those who shared. We hope you’ll find some inspiration and encouragement for your daily practices.
From Rev. Philip Dicks, 2015 recipient from the Iowa UMC Conference.
My devotional response came from a time when in India for the World Methodist Council and the United Methodist Church and my face-to-face with Mother Theresa and her words of wisdom — with a Lenten context.
How are you tending to your soul during this season of Lent?
Years ago, I had the privilege of spending time in India for the World Methodist Council and the United Methodist Church teaching in the Union Biblical Seminary about the power of Spiritual Formation founded in the model of Wesley’s “Covenant Discipleship.” Living out our mission to Changing the World and personally sharing our faith – one person at a time and mutual accountability can transform the world by loving our neighbor. When you’ve been transformed by God’s Love, you can’t help but want other to experience the same grace and freedom.
I remember making a pilgrimage to Calcutta to see Mother Theresa. We stood with folded hands and made a line in which to greet her and receive a blessing. In the Indian tradition, persons coming to meet such a spiritual person often use the time to ask an important question. A person not far from me asked her, “Mother Theresa, I am depressed. What should I do?” Mother Theresa placed her large, rough hands over his and said, “Get up and go across the street.” He paused for a moment and looked questioningly at her and repeated the question: “Mother Theresa, I am depressed. What should I do?” Again, she answered: “Get up and go across the street.” Thinking that perhaps she did not hear him correctly, he once again asked the question in a slow, loud voice: “Mother Theresa, I am depressed. What should I do?” Again, she answered: “Get up and go across the street.” And softly she looked into his face and said: “Get up and go across the street. Find someone in need of being loved or in need of feeling the love of Jesus through you and when you do your depression will go away.” Tearfully he backed away with a holy mission reflected in his glowing face as he set about to transform the world one person at a time. Go and do likewise.
Mother Theresa once said: “Lent encourages us to let the Word of God penetrate our life…because Lent may not be just a time for giving up but gifting up…to take on a renewed mission of love to the invisible and the unloved. God still loves the world through you and me today.” I still begin my morning as she began tending her soul every morning: “Good morning God, what will you have me do for you today?”
How are you tending to your soul during this season of Lent?
Maybe begin each new day with “Good morning God, what will you have me do for you today?” Here is the sanctity hidden for us – in knowing Jesus – loving Jesus – serving Jesus to all Christ sends into our life each day. God still loves the world through you and me today.
How can I tend my soul during this season of Lent? “Get up and go across the street. Find someone in need of being loved or in need of feeling the love of Jesus through you and when you do they will see the face of Jesus in you.” Go and do likewise as we live out that Good News mission through our faith community, throughout our local community and in the World that God so loved! Go be the Church!
