AECI Lenten 2025 Reflection: 'Steer Us From Hardness Of Heart' (Week Five: Peace And Understanding)

AECI Lenten 2025 Reflection: 'Steer Us From Hardness Of Heart'

Week 5, Day 1: Peace And Understanding

'So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord,

that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do,

in the futility of their thinking. 

They are darkened in their understanding

and alienated from the life of God

because of the ignorance that is in them

due to the hardening of their hearts'

(Ephesians 4:17-24)

This coming week we are to focus on a little more on what it might mean to share in 'the life of God' as St. Paul conveys in his Letter to the Ephesians urging them to remain true in all aspects of their faith.

A good starting point might to think again of a period of time in our lives when we felt separated from God , away from any sense of divine presence or touch. It might be a time when our mental and emotional state was disrupted or confused, it might be when we had no sense of the strength or sustenance of a 'Father in heaven'.

Perhaps it was a moment when our very grasp or understanding of the width, height and depth of 'divine life' faded. When we looked to 'the self' or the world around us for quick and easy answers.

What was it that pierced through these thoughts and emotions? What was it that allowed for an 'acceptance' of your given circumstances at the time? How did you find a glimmer of light or direction in those 'dark; and difficult moments?

To cultivate a peaceful and receptive heart so as to share in the life of God is not an a quick process. St Teresa of Avila gives assurance that our hearts can find a way back when they stray : 'Let nothing disturb you. let nothing frighten you, all things are passing' , she writes.

Week 5, Day 2: Peace And Understanding

Today we can explore further what it might mean to be 'darkened in our understanding and alienated from the life of God'.

In today's first reading from the Book of Wisdom (or the 'Wisdom of Solomon', to give it its proper title) we hear of the human tendency to give up or to give in to the 'wickedness' or callousness of the world around us. We are inclined to evil ways, goes the argument, good people only get in the way of us following the course of selfish action. We can and should live life for momentary pleasures and for 'revelry' and use the natural world as we see fit. Any person suggesting otherwise is an 'inconvenience'.

It is easy to see in our consumerist and materialistic society how this attitude might take root. The profit margin must dominate and more wealth and more possessions provide the answers to our searching needs.

At a later point in the reading there is a closer examination as to what we might be missing with such a narrow outlook. Those who hold a disregard for the greater good, prioritising only their own enjoyment and satisfaction 'know not the hidden counsels of God ... nor discern the innocent souls' reward' (Book of Wisdom 2: 21 -22). We are reminded that 'God created us ... in the image of his own eternity'. We can resist the drift into cynicism and disillusionment.

This takes us right in to the movements of the heart. It is a practical sense of purpose, a secret form of advice and motivation in the face of all challenges, that we can then come to overlook by short term and self indulgent thinking. We fail to understand the spiritual freedom enjoyed by those who who step outside of 'the world's ways'.

In the next day or so we shall take the theme of ACCEPTANCE

How might acceptance free us from 'the futility of our thinking' and from our 'hardness of heart'?

Week 5, Day 3: Peace And Understanding

It is important to begin today's reflection by noting that we are not concerned here with any acceptance of the wicked and self-centred actions that we witness in our damaged world. The suggestion that they might engulf or leave us indifferent was very much the focus of yesterday's piece. The world does one thing, the eternal might well do another.

We are explicitly looking at 'acceptance' of ourselves ( ... faults and failures included!), An acceptance in relation to inner peace, steered by ( ..paradoxically perhaps!) the level of spiritual freedom we gain from acknowledging our responsibility and being aware of our attachments.

St John of the Cross writes that 'to reach satisfaction in all, desire satisfaction in nothing'. External things, material possessions, self indulgent experiences, short term gratification shall not give lasting fulfilment or contentment. We must empty ourselves of 'desires of the heart' in our journey towards deeper peace and understanding. And desires of the heart can indeed bubble away!

In our first day of week 5, we brought to mind those periods of personal and collective upheaval and of despair - maybe caused by our own failures or errors - which we fear deeply can overwhelm us.

Many testify to an inner recognition that thought and speech are entirely inadequate at such times. Instead there is a movement towards silence and acceptance, a heartfelt surrender in trust. We know no other way then within our heart.

It is possibly the same one quality of acceptance of the will and the influence of God identified in the words of Jesus in the 'Sermon On The Mount:

'... when you pray do not heap up phrases as the Gentiles do,

for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him'

To finish we have a relatively simple prayer today that focuses on acceptance 'in the fullness of Creation' - an understanding that allows for the divine to work in all areas of our lives:

Lord,

Help us to be open to Your Spirit in the days ahead

To accept You, to accept others and to accept ourselves

In the fullness of Creation

So, we can act renewed with Love

Speak renewed with Truth

And grow in Your Eternal Peace

Amen

Week 5, Day 4: Peace And Understanding

As the prayer above alludes to, with an 'openness' and an acceptance of the divine at work in our lives, we come to be re-invigorated and renewed in our outlook and our behaviour.

Committing to love, to truth, to a genuine peace within, become wise and prudent options. We are less worried about what 'the world' is prioritising and more focused on the priorities of a 'fulfilled life', the gift of Creation itself that communicates its way into our hearts.

But, what about sharing deeper in 'the life of God'? What about being consistent? Being strong in the face of 'futile thinking' and 'ignorance' in the words of St. Paul?

Here, we need to explore the theme of AUTHENTICITY.

St Elizabeth of the Trinity writes:

'Each incident, each event, each suffering,

as well as each joy, is a sacrament that gives God to it;

so it no longer makes a distinction between these things:

it surmounts them, goes beyond them .. to rest in its Master'

There is an acknowledgment that in some way - with what Elizabeth calls 'a fixed eye' on the Eternal Presence - we are always capable of growing in our grasp and appreciation of the sacred influence upon our lives. That we become more authentic as 'distinctions' fade and our tendency to separate and compartmentalise experience dissolves.

There is much that we can consider further on this topic around the vital time we give ourselves in solitude (not to be 'alone' in the conventional sense, but 'all at one') and around the divine-child relationship, which is ultimately one of learning and one of love.

However, we shall conclude for now by pondering the embrace and the reach within our hearts and souls, minds and bodies, of the qualities of beauty, of mercy, of a sense of purpose.

Each a glimpse of something sacred embedded within our lives.

Week 5, Day 5: Peace And Understanding

In the classic 1954 film 'On The Waterfront' (starring Marlon Brando) the main character Terry Malloy speaks openly to his brother, uttering the famous line '... what do I get? A one way ticket to Palookaville!'

Of course, there is no geographical place called 'Palookaville', it has become synonymous with the idea of obscurity, ineptitude or failure in regard to one's life ambitions. Maybe this fear of obscurity is a fundamental reason why we don't allow ourselves to rise above restlessness and pride and take the adequate time and space to consider what it is that speaks to us as individuals, unique as we live in both 'reality' and 'mystery'.

The Carmelite Family seek to follow the text which is known as 'The Rule of Saint Albert', named after the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem between 1206 - 1214. In that document, within Rule number 1, it states that:

'God wanted to make himself known,

the inner reality of the Trinity

and this revelation was made by involving humanity

in a dialogue woven of love and mercy'

In a spirit of acceptance and with an authentic sense of our own balance and place in this turbulent world, we move with a heart attuned to the urgency of that dialogue. The use of the word 'woven' suggests we are very much interconnected with the direction of the divine will, something which we will cover in more detail as we approach the Easter Triduum.

For our Monday meditation our focus is on the next theme in Week 5, namely GRATITUDE.

Listen to the two songs suggested at the 'YouTube' links below. Compare and contrast their genre or style, their subject and intention, their words and lyrics. Which do you prefer and why? Again try to find the right personal space to complete the exercise.

Bob Marley - 'Thank You Lord'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9DDDj_JdMA

Allen Pote - 'A Song Of Thanksgiving'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQKbk-olrqc

Week 5, Day 6: Peace And Understanding

'For my part I am almost contented just now,

and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion.

It fills the heart but not to bursting.

It warms it but not to fever'

(Charlotte Bronte)

The above quotation from Charlotte Bronte (1816 - 1855) uncovers several layers in our Lenten quest to 'Steer Us From Hardness Of Heart'. The very phrase 'a divine emotion' might in itself provide insight into what the heart is capable of processing. We have seen that certain human emotions lead to greater conflict - both inner and outer turmoil - but here we have a unique feeling that holds 'divine' weight.

Gratitude is described by Bronte as something which is warm and substantial, but always measured and never oppressive. It is a quality that helps us to share in 'the life of the divine', but keeps us contented and stable in our human nature.

She is of course best known for her novel 'Jane Eyre' (1847) which she published under the male pseudonym of Currer Bell. Undoubtedly Bronte herself would have navigated her writing through the tricky waters of authenticity and identity at the time!

The capacity of 'Gratitude' to reinforce self acceptance and overcome the pressures and the preoccupations of the day is well documented. It can serve to restore a sense of balance and illuminate 'the fullness of Creation' that we touched upon in the prayer on Day 3 of this week's reflection.

Finally, in this section on 'Peace and Understanding', we shall consider in a bit more detail the role of COURAGE in deepening our sense of 'the divine' at work within the world.

Who is the most courageous person you know within your own life? How might courage be manifest in our daily faith?

Week 5, Day 7: Peace And Understanding

'The moment one definitely commits oneself,

then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur

to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision which no man

could have dreamed would have come his way.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.'

(Johannes Wolfgang von Goethe)

If Bronte's reflection on Day 7 offered us an insight into the 'warming' nature of gratitude within our hearts, this quotation from the great German writer Johannes Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) offers us an insight into the 'magical' nature of courage which takes us on a journey from its birthplace or beginnings in any heartfelt decision.

There is naturally much debate within religious circles about what it is we are capable in ourselves of doing, if anything, to affect our relationship with God. As we have touched on earlier around the model of the 'Prayer of the Quiet' offered by St Teresa of Avila, the suggestion that our intellects can 'comprehend God' in any real sense is disputed. 'The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes', she writes. The peace of the divine is a gift of grace or favour, which we must accept that we cannot account for!

However, Goethe's use of the word 'boldness' (in German 'Mut') brings the focus onto the initial step. The spark of creativity, the moment we are seized by truth or presence. And it perhaps leaves us with some perception of the divine life in us, as well as our shared life in the divine.

As we edge closer to 'Holy Week' in our 2025 Lenten journey, we take a moment today to ask for the courage to accept qualities of silence, of stillness, of belonging into our lives

The courage to put time aside for an opportunity to breathe, to listen, to love.

To not overthink. To not overtalk.

The courage to receive the keys of hope and renewal that Christ offered in the course of his ministry.

To receive his promise of lasting peace:

'Lord, I pray for peace in my heart and in the world.

Help me to be a source of peace and understanding'