Lent
I know it's seems crazy to be writing about Lent right before Christmas, but I'm starting to think about my game plan for 2005. Most protestants ignore Lent, but I think it ought to be redeemed from the Catholic tradition. In fact, I think there are lots of things protestants can learn from Catholics. And vice versa.
Lent is the forty day period leading up to Easter. Some people consider it a tithe of their time--it is roughly one tenth of the days in a year. Others view it as a time of purification and preparation. Some focus on the symbolic importance of forty days. Jesus was tempted and fasted for forty days going into his public ministry--it was a rite of initiation. A forty day fast has become the benchmark of spiritual discipline for ascetics.
I sort of like Frederick Buechner's take. "During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or the another what it means to be themselves." He asks some tough questions:
"Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one that makes you happiest to remember?"
"If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?"
Lent is the forty day period leading up to Easter. Some people consider it a tithe of their time--it is roughly one tenth of the days in a year. Others view it as a time of purification and preparation. Some focus on the symbolic importance of forty days. Jesus was tempted and fasted for forty days going into his public ministry--it was a rite of initiation. A forty day fast has become the benchmark of spiritual discipline for ascetics.
I sort of like Frederick Buechner's take. "During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or the another what it means to be themselves." He asks some tough questions:
"Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one that makes you happiest to remember?"
"If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?"
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home