“They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them” Is 49:10
If you can’t take the heat, get out of the fire! I come from a long line of women who can’t handle the heat. I have inherited a legacy of headaches, fainting and nausea when I spend too much time in the sun. These symptoms are my body’s way of telling me that I need to stop, hydrate, rest, and take things a little easier.
Prayer can also feel difficult, tiring and dry, especially in Lent. We might begin to focus on our shortcomings in an overly scrupulous way. Our attention is on our failed Lenten resolutions or a desolation that God has not answered our prayers. Our world is still war-torn, refugees adrift, children are hungry, families are hurting. The landscape is desolate, our soul feels parched.
The readings from Isaiah offer several reassuring images. The one I need most is the reminder that “the scorching wind or the sun” cannot harm me. No matter how dry my prayer feels, God continues to offer the water of everlasting life.
Jesus, grant me patience when the heat is too intense, and hope when I cannot sense You. How are you shedding Your light on my path today?
Jen Coito: Ignatius at Home 