Lent: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Can you believe Lent begins on Wednesday? Image courtesy of Episcopal Center at Duke University

Yesterday afternoon as my wife and I walked along the streets of Decatur we saw the unmistakable remnants of a Mardi Gras parade: confetti, beads, crewe decorations, and half-eaten moon pies (who eats only half a moon pie anyway?). While my tree-hugging heart hurt seeing the litter strewn about on the streets, my penitent-loving soul leaped within me as I realized what this week will bring... LENT IS COMING! Joyfully, I realized it will be here quite soon, on Wednesday, in fact. Now, before you think that Lent is solely a season of sackcloth and ashes, let me invite you to get excited with the grumpy Lenten cat (above) and me about the most wonderful time of the year!

Lent, meaning spring, stands out as a particularly beautiful time when we the people of God grow and blossom, as our hearts, our heads, and our liturgy move along the forty-day journey with Jesus to the Cross. We hold special intentions during this time to turn away from everything else, so that we may focus fully on God. Quite often I find that this season brings out the best in the people that are the Church, but that is just one reason I love Lent.

On Wednesday, priests across the world will invite people to participate in a Holy Lent. The prayer, which does so in The Book of Common Prayer, bids the Church "to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word." Then, it ends in this way, "And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer" (265). This is the part when people are marked by ashen crosses. Now, you may think, "Wait a minute, I'm okay with making myself better through spiritual disciplines, but what's this mortal nature bit?" 

In our day and age perhaps more than at any other time in human history, we need this reminder of our mortal nature. Meditating on our own fragility is not cheery or peppy or happy, and yet, this season of Lent is not about self-improvement, but instead about self-denial; it's not about self-aggrandizement, but instead about inviting God to use us fully to bring about the reign of Christ; it's not about becoming better Christians, but instead about clearing pathways within us, so that God's Spirit may flow through us like the vessels we are intended to be. When we start this season by seeing our mortality something shifts, to borrow the words of John the Baptizer, "[We] must become less, that [God] may become more" (John 3:30). There is more though.

In Lent, God invites us also to remember that we cannot earn a gift we have already received, nor can we do something to un-receive the gift. This season is a time to tend the garden we already have recognizing that God will be the one that grows the fruit, still we have an opportunity to till the soil, clear the weeds, and water the seeds planted. So, how do we clear the clutter? How do we let go of the result, so that we trust God more? How do we partake in a Holy, fruitful Lent? Everyone is different, and there are a million other things out in the world, but here are a number of great resources and ideas that may help you to tend your garden this Lent:

Resources:

-40 Bags in 40 Days: This resource challenges people to de-clutter their lives, so that they may focus more fully on the Divine.

-Contemplative Outreach: This meditative arm of the Church provides an offering this year entitled, The Transformation of Suffering: A Lenten Journey, as this program calls upon some great spiritual leaders from around the globe, there is a hefty charge of $75.00 to participate.

-Episcopal Relief and Development (ER and D): ER and D is not only a fantastic mission of the Episcopal Church, but also an agency that provides free Lenten Meditations that call upon its leaders from around the globe to share their soul-deepening spiritual disciplines. You may sign up for a mailed copy here.

-Lent Madness: Learn about saints, become a Church nerd, and participate in friendly competition? YES, PLEASE!

-St. John's, Decatur: This fantastic church where I happily serve produces some great daily Lenten meditations. They are available on our FaceBook page or you may sign up here to receive a daily email. I know there are lots of other churches that do this as well, but I have to do a little self-promotion!

-The Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE): SSJE provides a daily video entitled "The 5 Marks of Love" that can be emailed to your inbox. You may sign up here.

-Additional Resources: As more Episcopal Lenten Resources are shared The Episcopal Cafe website will tag those offerings here.

Ideas:

-Bike/Walk to Work: Exercise, fresh air, and most importantly time to think about God. What's not to love?

-Break: What if you took a few short breaks throughout the day to walk around your office building, get away from your work, and say a brief prayer? How might that change your life?

-Daily Office: While this is not an innovative idea, saying the Daily Office as found in the Book of Common Prayer (Rite I begins on page 37 and Rite II begins on 75) or on the Mission of St. Clare website here has a way of reminding us of our reliance upon God who prunes and grows us. 

-Give Something Up: What gets in the way of your spiritual garden growing? Chocolate? I doubt it. How about giving up checking your phone outside of work? Spend the time instead focusing on deepening relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and God. How about you stop getting coffee from that expensive place down the street? Instead, save that money up for a meaningful family outing, a retreat, or a charitable organization that you love. 

-Social Justice: Empathy without action is merely pity, as the expression goes. Lent can be a time when we call to heart and mind those with whom Jesus spent his days: the poor, the needy, the outcasts, the lonely, the homeless, and the hungry. Allow your prayers to permeate into actions that help care for those who are most often forgotten. 

-Take Something On: It is not always possible to give something up, but as a wise man (name Robert Wisnewski) once described, new disciplines are like making coleslaw. To get the balance right you cannot take the mayo, slaw, vinegar, or pepper away, but instead you must add more of one of the missing components. 

-Thank you notes: I am terrible at writing people thank you notes (Sorry!). Lent though is a great time to call to mind random people for whom you are thankful. How do they make your life better? How do they help your spiritual garden blossom? 

-WHAT ELSE? ADD YOUR OWN RESOURCES OR IDEAS IN THE COMMENTS!