The Great Circle of Being

For most of Lent I plan on writing reflections on the daily readings, or thoughts inspired by devotions such as Stations of the Cross, or the rosary. But today I want to talk about the Great Circle of Being.

We start Lent full of promise, with lists of books to read, devotions to practice, vegetarian meals to consume. By Day 10 the novelty has worn off, the rocks in our shoes hurt, the dinner of 3 prunes and 12 peas is no longer sustainable, sleeping only 4 hours a night has made us useless to our employers. So try not to think of Lent as a race, or a linear event. Think of it as a circle.

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, "Issuing from the Primary Principle, creatures accomplish a sort of circuit, a gyratory movement, such that all things when they tend to their proper end are returning to the Principle whence they came forth ... We were created by the Son and by the Holy Spirit; and hence it is by them that we are brought back to our end." 

St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote, "Everywhere in this world we notice action...departure and return; going away and coming back; separation and reunion. The separation always looks forward to union, which is creative. All this is simply an image of the Blessed Trinity in the activity of creatures."

Think of Lent as returning to your Maker. It's about letting God do things in you, healing you, renewing you, bringing you full circle back to Him. 💕