Since sin is a central theme in Abrahamic traditions, which have shaped much of the world’s spiritual and cultural landscape, it’s important that we take time to explore it. Today, we will begin reframing the concept of sin, moving from fear toward a deeper, healing relationship with the Divine.

Fasting is not about perfection; it is about transformation. There will be days when you hold steadfast, feeling the grace of discipline and clarity of spirit. And there will be days when you stumble, when the thing you intended to let go of pulls you back in, when the hunger for what is familiar overtakes the hunger for God.

This first week of our Lenten pilgrimage has been a sacred journey of recognition, healing, and renewal. As God rested on the seventh day, we too take this time to pause, reflect, and deepen our connection with what has been revealed.

As we journey through Lent, seeking to heal our image of God and name who God truly is for us, we arrive at a moment of profound mystery and revelation. To name God is to enter into relationship, yet every name remains incomplete. This is an endless topic, but in my own ever-blossoming journey of naming the unnamable, I want to share two particular insights with you.

The way we perceive and relate to God profoundly shapes who we are. If our image of God is distorted, marked by fear, harsh judgment, or conditional love, our spiritual life and relationships will reflect these qualities. Conversely, a healed, life-giving image of God leads to transformation, inner freedom, and love.

As we continue our Lenten journey of healing and deepening our connection with God, today we are invited into a prayer practice that gently guides us toward healing our image of God.

Today’s teaching is an extract from the book “Good Goats: Healing Our Image of God” written by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn, and Matthew Linn.

Spiritual Assignment: Healing the God Wound

This assignment is designed to guide you through the healing process, allowing you to reflect deeply, release burdens, and reclaim a personal, life-giving spirituality.

On this first day, we turn our attention to religious trauma. The purpose of this reflection is not to question faith itself, but to recognize the harm that certain religious environments, teachings, and structures have caused. Awareness is the first step in healing.

For the next two days, we will ease into our fast, making adjustments and settling into this new rhythm. From Sunday onward, until the end of our pilgrimage, our journey of deepening our relationship with God will unfold much like the way friendships develop.

Here we are…the journey begins.

This Wednesday, we step across a sacred threshold into a pilgrimage of the soul, a season of reflection, fasting, and renewal.

We are now just two days away from the official start of our Lent pilgrimage. I want to offer some additional insights, as our fast may be different from what some of you are accustomed to.

This year is a powerful moment of spiritual alignment, as Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus (as well as some Buddhists and Baha’is) are all fasting around the same time, each for their own sacred reasons.

What will you fast from this Lent?

Lent is not just about giving something up, it’s about waking up. It’s a season of breaking free, of stepping back from the noise and excess of daily life to rediscover what truly sustains us.

Since Jesus is the central figure we'll be following for these 47 days, it makes sense to spend some time exploring who he is.

Just as any physical journey requires preparation, intention, and direction, so too does the inner journey toward God’s closeness.

Welcome, Beloved Community to this Lenten online pilgrimage, a sacred journey not of miles but of the heart.