Image: Desert of the Beloved © Jan RichardsonHow else to enter into the forty-day place that lay ahead of him? How else to cross into the wilderness where he would have no food, no community, nothing that was familiar to him—and, to top it off, would have to wrestle with the devil? How else, but to go into that landscape with the knowledge of his own name: Beloved.
—Jan Richardson, from Lent 1: Beloved Is Where We Begin
The Painted Prayerbook, February 2016
We have traveled through many Lenten seasons here at The Painted Prayerbook; this one will be our twelfth. For our first Sunday in Lent this time around, I wanted to share a blessing from one of those seasons past. I hold you in prayer and gratitude as we cross into whatever terrain these days will hold. May we enter with the name Beloved echoing in our heart.
Beloved Is Where We Begin
If you would enter
into the wilderness,
do not begin
without a blessing.
Do not leave
without hearing
who you are:
Beloved,
named by the One
who has traveled this path
before you.
Do not go
without letting it echo
in your ears,
and if you find
it is hard
to let it into your heart,
do not despair.
That is what
this journey is for.
I cannot promise
this blessing will free you
from danger,
from fear,
from hunger
or thirst,
from the scorching
of sun
or the fall
of the night.
But I can tell you
that on this path
there will be help.
I can tell you
that on this way
there will be rest.
I can tell you
that you will know
the strange graces
that come to our aid
only on a road
such as this,
that fly to meet us
bearing comfort
and strength,
that come alongside us
for no other cause
than to lean themselves
toward our ear
and with their
curious insistence
whisper our name:
Beloved.
Beloved.
Beloved.
—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons
For previous reflections for the first Sunday of Lent, including reflections on the related gospel readings:
Lent 1: Where the Breath Begins
First Sunday of Lent: And the Angels Waited
Day 2: Up from the Water
Day 3: Into the Wilderness
Day 4: With the Wild Beasts
Lent 1: A Blessing for the Wilderness
Lent 1: Into the Wilderness
Lent 1: A River Runs through Him
Lent 1: Discernment and Dessert in the Desert
Using Jan’s artwork
To use the image “Desert of the Beloved,” please visit this page at janrichardsonimages.com. (This is also available as an art print. After clicking over to the image’s page on the Jan Richardson Images site, just scroll down to the “Purchase as an Art Print” section.) Your use of janrichardsonimages.com helps make the ministry of The Painted Prayerbook possible. Thank you!
Using Jan’s words
For worship services and related settings, you are welcome to use Jan’s blessings or other words from this blog without requesting permission. All that’s needed is to acknowledge the source. Please include this info in a credit line: “© Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com.” For other uses, visit Copyright Permissions.
March 9, 2019 at 7:59 PM |
Thank you. This was beautiful and applies so sweetly to my anticipated move.
Patricia White
March 9, 2019 at 10:01 PM |
Jan, Your blessing, “Beloved is Where We Begin,” is one of my favorites (one I’ve quoted in sermon and class with appropriate credit) …”strange graces” echo in my ears throughout…those that we don’t always recognize or acknowledge…and when we do it’s still difficult to whisper “beloved”… and yet I return to this blessing again and again when I need reminding of strange graces and the blessed journey to a whispered “Beloved!” Thank you
March 10, 2019 at 2:12 PM |
Thank you for reminding us that we, too, are “Beloved of God”. How much better it is to hear this upon entering Lent than to hear the damning words, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Again, thank you. You are blessed with the Word of God.
Sincerely,
Denise Stringer
March 10, 2019 at 5:32 PM |
Thank you, Jan, for reminding us that we are also Beloved of God, rather than merely dust of the earth. I refer to the words used with the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday.
April 1, 2019 at 1:19 PM |
Such a healing comforting message. Knowing that I am His Belived helps me to want to grasp His hand and say “show me where I’ve missed the mark. Show me what trips me up and causes me to give in to temptation. Help me to overcome my character defects. “. I can trust the heart that calls me beloved with my weaknesses.
“ there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in christ Jesus
The The desert of lent is giving me an awareness or a chance to take an inventory of what is serving and working well for the bring about the kingdom of God here in earth and what isn’t How am I getting in the way of Gods plan and how am I helpin it.