In our series of Lent reflections we spoke to Dr Casey Strine, Minor Canon Theologian about his focus during Lent.
For many Lent is a time to reflect on sins and failures and to look to God for encouragement and light. While it is a solemn time, it allows Christians around the world to focus on God without interruption.
Throughout Lent, Dr Casey Strine, Minor Canon Theologian at Sheffield Cathedral, has been leading a 25-minute time of silent prayer each Friday for all to gather to practice the discipline of silence and reflect on our own personal journeys.
We spoke to Casey about why it is appropriate to practice the discipline of silence during Lent: “Not to give away the secret, but when priests lead spiritual disciplines like this, it’s most often because it’s what they think they need. Guilty as charged here. I’ve recently become convinced the practice of silence—something Christians practice at all times, but especially during Lent—is crucial to me drawing near to God. I need less words (definitely my own) and more time waiting on the Lord to speak.”
These sessions have been structured around the Common Worship liturgy for the Stations of the Cross, to keep the sessions on a Lenten focus in preparation for Easter. To Casey, the Station of the Cross highlight: “…all our brokenness as humans, at the same time that it reminds us of all that Jesus suffered to heal our broken selves and world.”
As we move through Lent we hope you will take the time to visit one of these sessions, perhaps to reflect on your own journeys of difficulty or the hardships of the world or as Casey is doing, to draw closer to God.