Walking with the Saints
(Ash Wednesday is the 5th of March, Easter Sunday is 20th April)
We have been looking at a book called “Restoring the Woven Cord” at our CLC meetings. The book introduced themes like creativity, or community and using the life story of a saint. Each time we meet one of us leads an activity to help reflect on one of the Christians remembered from the early days of Christianity in these islands.
For Lent this year we are going to continue this, but perhaps you would like to go a bit further and pick a saint to “walk with” through lent.
We have a vast amount of information available at our finger tips – but what would it take to make that information knowledge? Are there activities that we could also do to complement learning through reading?
St Dunstan used to be very popular! He is in the featured picture holding the devil by the nose with some tongs. His blacksmith cunning and the humour in stories about him are reassuring!
Walking
I often find that I think while walking. Combining this with following the footsteps of a saint helps me reflect on their life. I can imagine the landscape they lived in, and there is something special about visiting the places where they lived. This might sound like romantic fantasy, and certainly it takes more than simply sightseeing! But in the cat and mouse game of stalking elusive thoughts there can be something effective in undertaking an adventure on foot and away from the familiar.
Perhaps I will visit Hoddom, perhaps I will try walking some of the Kentigern way to discover Saint Mungo.
Storytelling
Another way I immerse myself in the communion of saints, or discover what it is to be Christlike is through Storytelling. When I learn a story I sink into an imagined world of the story. I have to look around and work out that is going on in the network of people, places, and events. When I tell a story I build a relationship with the audience I am telling it to (even if they are on the other side of the glass) and this helps me discover new aspects of the story.
Over to you!
- Which saint will you choose to walk with through Lent?
- What do you hope to inherit from them?
- What will you do to help you find Jesus in their life?
- Get in touch and let us know what you discover!
Ash Wednesday is the 5th of March, Easter Sunday is 20th April. Pancake Party on Tuesday the 4th of March at Simon and Kates.