The prophet Ezekiel heard a noise, a rattling, as he prophesied to the dry bones in his vision. It got his attention. It opened his eyes to see new life coming into the valley of dry bones, his heart to comprehend God’s message of hope and restoration to his people in exile.

Rattling seems to be a good metaphor for Lent. It comes to prepare us for resurrection, to shake us out of our sinful complacency, to pull us up short and get our attention, and to show us where we need restoration, new life. Is the Lenten season doing its work on you yet? Do you feel rattled by your experience of Lent, your self-denial, self-discipline, self-examination? Are your dry bones ready to receive the breath of God enspiriting you with new life? Can you hear the rattling noise indicating that God’s hand is at work in your life bringing your “unruly wills and affectations” into order, affixing your heart where “true joys are to be found”? (BCP, p.219)

If not, maybe it’s time to call on the Lord to clear out your ears, the ears of our heart, so you can hear the Lenten rattling. Perhaps take a leaf from the indigenous peoples around the world who traditionally use rattles, dried gourds with seeds or pebbles inside, in their religious ceremonies to call God, by whatever name he may be known, into their midst. What do you have to lose? Lent is coming to a close. Holy Week is fast approaching. It is time for drastic action to bring your dry, dead relationship with the Lord into new life. Try it and see what happens. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, take your rattle, and center down into the silence. Invite God in, and begin to shake your rattle, softly, gently at first, more vigorously as you feel comfortable. Listen with the ears of your heart for the cleansing, healing, forgiving, restoring words of God which will come, surrounding and upholding you in God’s loving presence.

If you don’t have a gourd handy, you could fill an empty plastic water or pill bottle, an Altoids or Sucrets tin, with dried beans, small pebbles, or beads, or use a baby rattle to fill the bill.