Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Christian Church. Lent is the time leading up to Easter when the church members are encouraged to take time in reflection and self-examination. Many have made it their tradition to "give up" something during Lent in an act of self-denial. Others, like myself, have used the Lenten time as an opportunity to "take up" a new discipline in an area we find ourselves to be lacking.
Fat Tuesday, which coincides with the end of Mardi Gras, is the last hurrah before the self-deprivation of Lent begins. Many communities used to have pancake dinner on Fat Tuesday. Of course, they did not call it Fat Tuesday as that has such a negative connotation. Mardi Gras attendees, however, probably don't worry about the negative connotation from what I see on Cops: In New Orleans. If they were worried about the negativity, they would have stayed home.
As a child, I had a Catholic friend who gave up chocolate for Lent. I was amazed by her willpower as chocolate is a staple of most childrens' diet. Apparently, she had found a loophole in the Lenten rules, because she ate chocolate on Sundays. The Sundays in Lent are not counted in the 40 days of Lent, so she got a reprieve from the self-deprivation once a week. I don't agree with that philosophy, but I have never given up chocolate for Lent either.
Every Good Friday, our clown team does a remembrance of the Passion week. It is, in my humble opinion, amazing. We work for weeks before Good Friday practicing to capture the emotions and sacrifice of that special time. This year, we are completely redoing our Passion Remembrance with new music, new scenes, more scripture study and more crowd interaction. In the past, I have played Jesus for this Passion Remembrance. Part of the Remembrance finds Jesus being lifted up on the cross by the guards. It wasn't until I was being prepared to be lifted up in our practices that I gave thought to how much of me needed to be lifted. I'm not obese, but I'm not petite and it gave new meaning to my love for sweets. If I eat this, they are going to have to lift it.
Lent finds me back on "Jesus training." When I look at a menu, I wonder, "What would Jesus eat?". I really think that Jesus would have eaten a beautiful patty of angus beef nestled ever so cozily under a slice of cheddar with a side of crunchy potatoe wedges. God would not have given us dominion over the animals if did not mean for us to roast them over a fire!
As you enjoy Fat Tuesday, keep in mind that Lent is a journey that, with some effort on our parts, can make the Easter joy even sweeter. Oh, sweeter -- like chocolate!
3 comments:
Got a question, oh wise one. Is it Biblical to give up something for Lent or simply Catholic dogma? I was in a conversation yesterday...and like most of my conversations, I found most of the chatter not very educated but highly charged rhetoric.
I've got another comment regarding an article that was in the Bismarck Tribune a couple weeks ago about a lady from Ashley who wanted everyone to go on a "carbon fast" for lent. I had two thoughts on that one. First, humans exhale carbon dioxide so we'd have to die to really do that. And second, should we be concerned with saving souls instead of trees? Give me a break.
I don't know how wise I am, but here does -- Although Lent isn't mentioned as a custom in the Bible, the act of repentance and mourning with ashes is mentioned in the Old and New Testament. The purpose of Lent is to set aside time for reflections on Jesus and his suffering, sacrifice, life, death, burial and resurrection. The 40 days is based on the 40 days that Jesus was in the wilderness fasting and meditating. I'm not sure about whether we are emulating Catholic tradition, but I know that many Protestant churches observe Lenten traditions.
I also have been mulling over the Carbo Fast idea. I actually brought it up for discussion during coffee break last week. I asked my boss, hypothetically, if I gave up driving my car for Lent, would he respect my religious reasons for doing so. He replied that yes he would respect my logic, however, if I stopped coming in to work, I didn't need to return to work after Lent. The environment is important, but the whole idea of Lent is a closer personal relationship with God, not the redemption of the earth's vegetation.
I think it's important to remember that carbon dioxide is one -- along with oxygen -- of the building blocks of life. Remember photosynthesis from science? So those that control carbon will control life. How much are we willing to give up? There's a bill being considered in the MN Legislature this year that would limit the amount of miles a person could drive. That's only the tip of the iceberg. Catch the story in the newspaper today about "sustainable" cities. Luckily, you and I already live in small homes on small lots...but does everyone need to emulate our frugality? My folks retired in a large single story home with four garages. It was just about enough room for them and their company. Thanks for the information, oh wise one.
Post a Comment