SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE:

Spiritual wisdom is often taught through “teaching stories.” The teaching story does not have a moral or a lesson but will reveal insights. Once, a man visited a Buddhist monk. The man sought great truths, and the monk was reputed to have great wisdom.

When the man arrived, without an appointment, the monk welcomed him and invited him to share tea. As he sat down, the visitor said, “I am seeking truth. Tell me the truths you know.”

The monk was silent.

“Can’t you tell me anything?” the man said.

The monk began pouring tea. He kept pouring the tea. It filled the cup and spilled over the rim onto the saucer.

“Stop!” the man said, but the monk kept pouring the tea until it overflowed.

“What are you doing?” the man yelled.

“Giving wisdom,” the monk said.

Lent is here. It came the morning after Mardi Gras. It’s the ultimate morning after — from excess to sackcloth. Lent is a worship season easy to miss or skip or trivialize. Sometimes we give up something for Lent — like chocolate or deserts. Nothing too elaborate. Nothing too risky.

A priest once told me that if you don’t come to church in Lent, don’t show up for Easter either because you won’t get the message. New life is arriving on Easter; not recycled old life, not more of the same, something radically brand new. It’s bigger than a change of weather or climate or administration. It’s something life-changing.

But if we are too full of our lifestyle, our worries, our dreams, our sins, our opinions, our politics, our values or our righteousness, we will miss it. If we hold onto yesterday’s treasures, how can we receive tomorrow’s gifts? If we are full of ourselves, we have no room for anything else.

Lent is the season for spiritual spring cleaning. Easter is coming.

“Empty your teacup,” the monk said.

MARK WILEY is the pastor of Mesa Verde United Methodist Church in Costa Mesa.