When Karen and Roy reached out to the Spiritual Directors with this theme for Lent, I must admit that I was a bit challenged by this. Making time? Like, what have we been doing for the last eleven months if not “making time”? 

This global pandemic has created so many ways for us to “make time”. This year could be called a Sabbatical Year for us all. The question is, how did we use our Sabbatical time? 

I have listened to more than one of my spiritual friends lament that, although they lived alone during this last year (and therefor had plenty of time), they were unable to focus on the opportunities and means to deepen their spiritual life. One would seem to think that given this rare opportunity to spend more time with God we would have jumped all over it! 

The constant reminders (through all kinds of media) that we are in a period of great disorder do not fall on our deaf ears. Pick your poison – COVID 19; civic, economic, and political unrest; the quickening advance of Climate Change – the list goes on. 

Even in the midst of “having time”, how do we quiet ourselves to “make time” for the Beloved? Practice! Spiritual Practice implies that there should be a concerted effort to do the work. Every day. 

Pope Francis in his General Audience on February 10th suggests: "Prayer takes place every day. Jesus comes to meet us today, the day we are living. And it is prayer that transforms this day into grace, or better, that transforms us: it quells anger, sustains love, multiplies joy, instils the strength to forgive." 

Let me suggest that during this Lenten season we also draw on the wisdom of our great spiritual mentor, Msgr. Chet Michael. I just finished an SDI retreat where we reviewed Fr. Chet’s Five Bases of Prayer. They are: 

1. Gratitude: We can never thank God enough. Everything is a gift. 
2. Discernment: What is God’s will for me at this time of my life? 
3. Petition: Asking for God’s help and grace to carry out His will. 
4. Intercessory Prayer: We all have the power to Bless through our baptism. Use it! 
5. Review/Examen: How did we do this day? Are there areas I can improve upon? 

Fr. Chet suggests that we need to touch these Five Bases every day and “Hit a Home Run for God! May we take this to heart during this Lenten Season and take at least 20 minutes each day to, “Hit a Home Run for God”. 

Now that’s “Making Time”! 

Peace and every good, 

Tom