Katabasis

Lent begins with ashes. Robert Bly’s book “Iron John” speaks of an ancient civilization where the young take their place in the community by sitting in ashes from the fire, listening to the stories of the elders. Bly borrows a Greek word to describe this process: katabasis. This is a descent, a remove downward, away from distraction and in search of clarity. Lent is our katabasis, our taking on stillness and quiet so that we might hear the words of the elders, written in scripture, and in those words the voice of God.

Go in peace to love and serve The Lord!

Josh