These Lenten days our minds are turning to packing for our return trip home.  And, I cannot help it, but I think as I pack my material things, what things I should be packing up during this season of Lent so I might be able to arrive at Easter as a person made new in Christ.

This reminds me of the old game that we used so many times on retreats.  It went something like this:  If you were going to spend the rest of your life on a desert island and could only take one suitcase with you – what would you pack?

This packing and moving and making cuts in our possessions forces me to think about what is really necessary and what is entirely a choice.  Perhaps we should also be packing up some things we have accumulated in our spiritual lives as well?

Perhaps in this move toward Easter we could leave behind our snap judgments and flaring anger at little things; our impatience and upset with things we have no control over – like the weather or irritating habits of a family member.  And while we are packing, I don’t want to forget a freshly laundered suit of patience; my collection of optimisms; and my new-found gift of leisure time.

What is necessary for a healthy spiritual life?  And, what do we gather and accumulate simply because we have the choice?  What needs to be packed for our journey to Easter and what can we leave behind to lighten our load?

Just thinking about this creatively as I pack my books is a grace.  Ah, my books!  I must have them – both for my spiritual health and for my creativity, entertainment and intellectual stimulation.

What are the things you need to pack?  And, how will you carry the grace in your life?