Saturday of the Fifth Week in Lent

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, admist the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, and it certainly will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. -- from the Diary of Anne Frank.

We begin Lent in the gloom of winter and proceed to Holy Week, where spring brings us Sun, budding trees and flowers, and reminders everywhere of rebirth and renewal. If young Anne could be positive in the midst of a world that was literally falling apart around her, certainly we can be positive in the midst of nature’s seasonal reminder that every year our world begins anew. Yes, we can be positive because as difficult as our Lenten journey has been toward spiritual renewal -- and it doesn’t end next week — we have moved, and are moving in the right direction. So sometime this Holy Week take young Anne’s advise go outside, be alone with nature, with God. Then you will realize you are never alone.

Webb