New Life

Things I've experienced recently have really enlightened me to the fact that new life is not confined to the Easter season. Renewal and newness are also here in Lent, in the journey to the Cross, in the going from one place to another. In general, I'd say that new things in life rarely happen while one is standing still.

In terms of my church life, I started going to a new congregation last year in Lent, where the people are great but the style of liturgy isn't one I'm used to. I'm not comfortable in the liturgy. At all. Ultimately, I think that this is allowing me to stretch my way of thinking as I get more comfortable with being uncomfortable.

The feast of the Annunciation will mark exactly one year since I started receiving Eucharist in the Anglican church. Eucharist still makes me uncomfortable, I admit it. But I'm not nearly as obsessed by guilt and sin as I was last Lent when I wasn't receiving Eucharist. There's a newness here for me because my whole experience of Lent has changed. Obviously, communion in Christ's body makes me a happier, more stable person, which I think is fairly theologically sound.

All of this is nice reflection, I'm sure. But what really brought home to me that the power of newness infuses Lent as much as any other liturgical season was my visit with my friend yesterday. I felt baby Raphaël moving in her belly and it was FANTASTIC!!!!! I'd use the 'A' word right now, except that I ranted about it a few posts ago and that would make me kind of a hypocrite.

I feel all warm and happy right now. Getting to feel this miracle reminds me that there's no time when God is not making new life, that there is no joy God can't give, and that there's nothing that can overcome the sheer power of human life - not even death on the Cross, not even the journey through darkness, not anything.

For more reflections on newness, feel free to read: http://allsaints-twomountains.blogspot.com/2010/03/all-things-new.html