The Lenten Season

Last year I felt Nothing.

This year, I’m wondering whether I’m in a time warp.

First, cookie sales begin and end in what seems like a blink of an eye. Then I see the Teen studying a driver’s manual (when did my baby get old enough to drive a car that isn’t red plastic from Hasbro?). Now we are coming upon the Lenten season.

The almost forty side of thirty makes life move quick!

This year, I feel that my relationship with God is lukewarm. I know He’s there, I know that I am covered by the blood of Jesus, I realize and accept my place as a child of God.

However, there’s always room for improvement.

I’m pretty sure I know some of the things we will do:

The Good Reverend Doctor will have the church consecrate ourselves through fasting, no TV, no Facebook, and now that I introduced him to it, no Twitter.

I have also decided that this year, I’m giving up vices.

Yes, this is the year I quit smoking.

Wednesday, I’ll attend Mass with the Boy and get an ash cross on my forehead for the first time since Sister Timothy Ann taught me Hail Mary back in 1981. Wednesday night, I will head to PC and prepare myself for the holiest of seasons.

Lent is a forty-day period before Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent begins on 9 March 2011 and ends on 23 April 2011, which is the day before Easter.*

The older I get, the more I realize just how sacred Easter really is. The Mister and I never did the Easter basket route, much to the chagrin of Queenie. Even before we were saved, I felt that teaching my child that a bunny came around leaving eggs and chocolate was not the right thing to do.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (NIV)

The more I learn about the life of Christ, I realize how the secular activity of pastel colors and breaking the budget for new clothes diminishes the foundation of the church. Jesus died on the cross to save humanity from sin. Not so we could take pictures and spend too much money on cheap baskets at Kmart.

Matthew 28:1-10

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The health and well being of my family.
That my new role in the community is successful.
That my church steps into greatness.
That I persevere and finish school.
And the newest:
I will finally be smoke free.

*Taken From http://www.kencollins.com/holy-04.htm

This year, I’ll pray for the usual: