Lent is a time of questioning and reflection- such a meaningful time in the Christian calendar. We think of Jesus in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights, of the temptations he faced in this wilderness time. And we make space to take time out to reflect in prayer and meditation. We pray that God will transform us in the wilderness, and bring us closer to Christ.

There are many bible readings, meditations and Christian apps which give us meaningful tools to help us in our prayer. One resource that perhaps we don’t speak of enough is poetry. There are amazing poets over the centuries, from George Herbert, to John Milton, from Gerald Manley Hopkins to Mary Oliver. Their poems can inspire awe, acknowlege complex emotions, and a deep reverence for God.

When it comes to Lent, the poet I always return to is TS Eliot, the poet who wrote ‘the Wasteland’ in 1922. It is not an easy poet to interpret with all its historical and literary allusions, but it is a poem to feel- it is written after the horrors of the first world war, and capures that feeling of alienation, sorrow and the emptiness of life.

Other poems of TS Eliot are ‘Ash Wednesday’ and ‘The Four Quartets’. ‘Ash Wednesday’ expresses some of the turbulence of faith, but ends with the words ‘And let my cry come unto Thee’. In the Four Quartets, in  section V of ‘Little Gidding’ there are the following lines;

‘We shall not cease from exploration             And the end of all our exploring                      Will be to arrive where we started           And know the place for the first time.’

This seems such a profound description of life- we go on all these adventures, we have the experiences good and bad. And in the end the insights we gain, the things we learn, come full circle, and we see everything in a new light, with fresh perspective.

In the desert, we have the opportunity to walk closely with God, and to let some things go as no longer being as significant as we thought, and to rediscover the power of love, mercy and forgiveness. It was the holy spirit who led Jesus into the desert, and who leads us in our lives to draw closer to Him. Poetry might not be for everyone, but it can be a resource to helps us articulate our struggles, our fears and our doubts, and to know that we are not alone as we do so.

Creator God, we thank You that You are in all things, from the rivers of tranquility and peace, to the dry, harsh heat of the desert. Lord Jesus, we thank you that You bless us with everything we need in season, from times of solace, to times of trial and temptation, and You understand our struggles. When we are questioning or feel alone, send your Holy Spirit to speak to us, though Your Word, though art, poetry and theatre. Remind us that our lives have meaning and value, even when we can’t see it. Whatever we are going though, give us fresh insight, a motivation to live in relationship to You, to pray, and may our cries come unto You.