Lenten Season Prayers and Inspiration

Books for Lent Bring Spiritual Nourishment

Mar 5, 2009 Megge Hill Fitz-Randolph

The season of Lent offers new ways to rejuvenate a spiritual connection to Christ, to God, to the divine spirit within through prayer and contemplation.

For practicing Christians, wanna be Christians, or folks just looking to rekindle the divine spark within themselves, Lent is a wonderful time for introspection and renewal. Move beyond the "giving up chocolate" phase and start embracing a deeper relationship with God, with Christ, with Allah, or whatever you call that holy place within that can be called upon anytime night or day to replenish a tired and dimming spirit.

Here are three books that are Christian in tone but universal in spirit. Call them a little collection of not-just-for-Christians and plunge into some pretty heavenly waters. Each of these is out in paperback edition which make for easy carrying here and there. Just as importantly, reading one of the brief chapters either brings you close to prayer or, as in Phyllis Tickles' book, gets you praying.

Book One: Small Surrenders

Small Surrenders by Emilie Griffin a small, pocket-size book of friendly, supportive pieces. Definitely Christian in tone and reference but this beautiful and wise book transcends cliches to bring day upon day of wise counsel and nourishment to any soul wanting to drink more deeply from life. Traditionally, Lent is that time to bring oneself to the table and take stock of all that one is and all one yet aspires to be in one's relation to God. This book will do just that.

As the author writes in the opening, "Lent in some sense is a plunge into a thicket, a sustained time in a wilderness place." And so it is, metaphorically speaking, a time of withdrawing for prayer, contemplation, and finding where one is accountable to a larger life of spirit.

From another chapter Griffin begins, "One of the principal disciplines of the spiritual life is attentiveness; being alert to the simple, often subtle when one craves spiritual refreshment.

Book Two: The Spirit of Lent

Season for the Spirit by Martin L. Smith is another companionable book for the season by one of the most highly respected thinkers in Christian theology. Reading Martin Smith always brings one to a broader, deeper understanding of what it means to be a person of faith or a person who longs for faith. Again, far from a book of self-recrimination often associated with Lent, Smith's writings take one to a higher place of engagement with the deeper parts of one's own divine self. Always highly intelligent but plainly written, profound insights are offered in simple and inclusive language. If one is seeking a deeper understanding of Christian thinking that is practical as well as uplifting this is the author to reach for when no one else quite touches that spot.

Each brief essay written to be read and meditated upon during the forty days of Lent and offers a Biblical reference to conclude the daily reading. Again, this is a book to bring one closer to the spirit of Christ, or the divine spirit within that craves to be heard.

Book Three: Praying the Hours

Eastertide, Prayers for Lent through Eastertide by Phylis Tickle is another compact prayerbook from the great Phylis Tickle to accompany the forty days of Lent. Following the beautiful Benedictine tradition of "praying the hours" also called "keeping the daily office" if one has not yet tried this, these might be the perfect days to begin. Prayers that draw from psalms, hymns, and scripture this is the perfect companion to keep in ones briefcase or toss in a large handbag to read on the subway or during an office break . Begin on rising, then at mid-day, then early evening and once again just before retiring, each "hour" takes about ten minutes, longer if one gets lost in the contemplation, shorter if one is needing to touch base with God before moving on in next rush of duties.

See Benedictine Books for Prayer and Inspiration and Advent Stories and Prayers for the Season for more about praying the Divine Office. Also, try reading Angels as Messenger in the Christian Tradition for how prayer can invoke angel guidance.

Sources:

Small Surrenders, A Lenten Journey by Emille Griffin (2008). Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press.

Season for the Spirit by Martin L. Smith (1991). Boston: Cowley Publications

Eastertide, Prayers for Lent through Easter

from Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle (2004). New York Galilee.

The copyright of the article Lenten Season Prayers and Inspiration in Self-Help Books is owned by Megge Hill Fitz-Randolph. Permission to republish Lenten Season Prayers and Inspiration in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.