Easter - "Catch The Feeling"

Easter Blessings to All;

This is the first year I have participated fully in Lent. I found it takes focus to daily take the time to pause (a misnomer) amidst all kinds of “busyness” reasons not to. In those moments of releasing myself, of reading and dwelling upon the resources from the Church’s Spiritual Formation Centre, I discovered not just meaningful reflection upon good thoughts but became aware of a “feeling”. It felt like “home”. It feels  like at this very moment I am in the place I am supposed to be. It is peaceful, quiet and connected. The feeling imprints upon me a recognition of something beyond me that penetrates through the illusions, the almost impenetrable “force field” like barrier of “what’s next” that I have to busy myself about in life. Now I seek and yearn for that feeling that accompanies my often resistant efforts to sit and open myself to the Spirit in a time of pause.

I am one who tends to test the validity of something by experimenting before I acknowledge it as real and worth investing my time, energy and efforts in. I entered into the experience of Lent in the same way. 40 days? Is that for real? Well now I sense like it really is a trick to draw you into practicing the spiritual practices of Lent for life. Because once you experience the feeling, you want more. You discover that the feeling can be called upon during other times in your day to bring peace in the midst of disagreement, frustration, impatience, decisions and ministry for and with another. The feeling accompanies moments of listening to others and I have come to sense this feeling as a companion spirit. When I am praying about matters and someone’s name surfaces or an image of someone or an idea or thought emerges I listen. When that familiar feeling resides with a thought, now, I pay attention. Then I experiment by pursuing those ideas, thoughts or connecting with those persons.

What Lent has blessed me with is an increasing encounter of how discernment unfolds in my life. I am just learning, gaining more awareness of and sensitivity both to others and what I believe is the spirit going before me.

So Easter is very real to me. The risen Christ, present in the Comforter I experience in times of pause and moments of prayer, to be empathic and “with” others in their lives, to be a means of blessing, is alive and present, continuing to journey with us. May you each be blessed this Easter season with the assurance of God’s personal touch in the “Feeling” of Christ’s presence as you take time to pause and discover this “authentic” reality in your life.




submitted by Kerry Richards