By Rev. Linda Machesic, Temporary Senior Minister —
March is my favorite month of the year. Having lived in Pennsylvania for the first forty plus years of my life, I became dependent on March’s warming trend after the Winter chill. March featured the magnificent transformation of the earth all around me. Barren trees branches began to host buds. Grass began to turn from brown to green. Birds became more plentiful and their songs filled the air. Gardens everywhere began to produce tulips and other early annuals. Forsythia bushes began to enfold themselves with the most beautiful yellow cloaks. Renewal was everywhere present. We felt it in our bodies as we looked to lighter clothing, fewer layers, bought brightly colored clothes for Easter, and looked for the sun to shine more generously every day.
I live in Florida now and the environmental changes in March are much subtler. Inexplicably, though, there remains for me an air of anticipation about this time of year. March includes the season of Lent, for example, begun in February and culminating on Easter Sunday, April 1. Lent is about ending and renewal.
Once renewed, we move on. We revitalize and restore. We focus on our spiritual journey from a partly awakened state to a fully awakened state of consciousness. In it, we open ourselves to inspiration spend extra time in prayer and contemplation, and set the intention of new beginnings. We find inspiration in music, in nature, in readings, or in the quiet and use affirmations to support our transformation. A simple affirmation like, I RENEW MY MIND, AWAKEN MY SPIRITUAL VITALITY, AND RESTORE MY PURPOSE TO SHINE MY CHRIST LIGHT ALL AROUND ME, will serve us well.
Rev. Carmen, too, on her sabbatical, is deeply immersed in an extended season of rest, renewal, revitalization, and restoration. We join her as we do the same by dedicating some few moments each day to the same end. We focus during this season by resting more and renewing our commitment to practicing the Presence with greater vitality. We restore our intention to be the Peace we want to see in the world. We gratefully affirm that Rev. Carmen finds greater peace, greater clarity, firmer resolve, and greater vitality than she ever imagined possible. And we join her in affirming the same for ourselves. What a glorious time to be alive!