Seven and a half Moleskine pages of notes and thoughts from Robert E. Webber’s Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality through the Christian Year…
Most Protestants don’t make any spiritual preparation for the annual celebration of the death and resurrection. For example, when I was growing up the only preparation for Easter made in my home…was the planning and purchasing of new clothing. Easter was a weekend event. Preparing for Easter for seven weeks was unthinkable, ludicrous, even pagan. But now I am constrained to ask: Who is the pagan? (p. 100)
I’m not going to include all the scribblings I made here. Webber closes his section on Lent with the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem the Syrian…
O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.
Yea, O Lord and King!
Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen (p. 115)
