Tag Archives: lent

Let Me Tell You Again

Posted on March 31, 2023 by Esther Hizsa

In that light-blindingmountaintopmoment,you heard Me say,“You are My beloved,”and you believed it. You held itclose,felt itthumping against your chestall the waydown. But oh, My love,here in the valley,where the traffic’s jammed with red lights,you get that look of disappointment,the day … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Poetry, Songs | Tagged Beloved Is Where We Begin, Cale Woodley, Deuteronomy 31:6, Drudgery, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian retreat, Isaiah 43:1, Jan L. Richardson, lent, Madras91, Matthew 17:1-13, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Time | 4 Comments

What I Heard Before Falling Asleep

Posted on March 17, 2023 by Esther Hizsa

On the daymy sister ended a Zoom callwith a heartfelt “I love you,” a directee dried her eyes and said, “Thank you,” the warm embrace of a friendstill lingered in my body, the rain stopped long enoughfor me to go … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Poetry, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, I'll be sittin' when the evenin' comes, Joachim Dobler, lent, Lenten Prayer Practice, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23:5, Psalms for Praying, Red squirrel, Robert Taylor, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

A Blessing for When You’re in the Wilderness

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Esther Hizsa

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. —Matthew 4:1 (NIV) On the day the Spirit leads you into the wilderness,may you know it was a Friend that led you thereand that … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Lent, Poetry, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Aaron Schock, angel, Briton Rivièr, Cale Woodley, Esther Hizsa, lent, Lenten Prayer Practice, Matthew 4, Mt. Hope Cemetery, Psalm 63:1, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Temptation in the Wilderness, Time | 1 Comment

The Journey of Friendship

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Esther Hizsa

Recently, a friend let me know they were upset. As I listened, I learned how upset they were and that it was partly because of something I didn’t do. I was grateful that they told me. It was hard for … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Lent, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Best Friends, Cale Woodley, Clint Budd, Esther Hizsa, friends, Ian Sane, lent, Lenten Prayer Practice, Pond water, Proverbs 17:17, Ruth Haley Barton, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Time | 2 Comments

DIY Prayer Retreat #13: A Lenten Retreat

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Here is a Lenten retreat outline that came out a contemplative evening I facilitated at Tenth Church last week. The Lectio guide is adapted from Living from the Heart and used with permission from SoulStream. For this retreat, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Prayer, Prayer Retreat Outline, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Benjamin Balázs, consolation, David G.Benner, desolation, Esther Hizsa, Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong, Eurasian blue tit, Green Valley, Ignatius of Loyola, Invitation to a Journey, Isaiah 30:15-18, John O'Donohue, Lamentations 3:22-23, Lectio Divina, lent, Lenten Lands, Living from the Heart, Malcolm Guite, Opening to God: Lectio Divina and Life as Prayer, Pisut Konepun, Prodigal Son, Robert Mulholland, SoulStram, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Tenth Church, waiting | 2 Comments

All of Me

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope,” I read in The Message and was comforted because that’s exactly where I was. But the beatitude didn’t end there. It went on to say, “With less of you, there is more … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Daniel Novta, Esther Hizsa, half a flower, lent, Martha Carlough, Matthew 5:3, Meeting Jesus in John, Salzburg Cross, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. John the Evangelist | Leave a comment

Gethsemane

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

See how tenderly the angels comfort Jesus in his anguish. He longed for such compassion from his friends, but they couldn’t do it. They disappeared into a panacea of sleep. We rely on Jesus to be with us in everything, but will we be with … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Holy Week, Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Praying with the Imagination, Stories | Tagged Anthony Falbo, Contemplation of Place, Gethsemane, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, lent, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 26:36-46, Maundy Thursday, praying with the imagination, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Stay with me, The Hour is Near | Leave a comment

Smitten

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

“God is smitten with us,” Steve Bell said between songs at a recent concert. “Lent is about love and returning to the Lover who is absolutely smitten with us.” To get us in the mood for Lent, Steve sang love … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Stories | Tagged Christian Asuh, Esther Hizsa, Jeremiah 31:3, lent, Matthew 10:30, pilgrimage, smitten, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell | 2 Comments

The End of Ordinary Time

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

It’s the end of Ordinary Time in the church year. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. For the next forty days, like many Christians, I will give up something I enjoy, so that I can identify in some small way with Christ’s … Continue reading →