In the early days of Holy Week, you are invited to participate in a walking meditation as many times as works for you. These walks can be a great time to “find” items for making crosses later in the week. The Lenten Kits included a hard copy of this prayer, but here it is again for easy access:
A Holy Week Walking Meditation
We often walk from one point to another without ever knowing how we really got there. Walking meditations slow down our walking and our breathing, and therefore our thinking so that we can more fully experience the place we find ourselves in at the moment.
For this Holy Week walking meditation, I encourage you to take a few deep breaths and then read Philippians 2: 5-8 several times before you begin your walk.
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.”
Consider if any of these questions are meaningful to you, or if a particular part of the passage speaks to you:
¨ How would it feel to see the world as Christ saw it — to have the same mind as Christ?
¨ When have you felt most empty? Most full?
¨ How does the word “obedience” make you feel? Does it change if you say “obedience to God”? “Obedient to the point of death”?
Don’t take the passage or paper with you, just let your thoughts wander as you take slow steps around your house, the yard, your favorite walk, a new place. What do you notice with your heart open to God’s word? If you pass another person, offer a silent prayer for them.
When you finish, don’t rush back into regular life. Stop and take a few more deep breaths and notice how you are feeling.
