Let’s Lent! By that, I mean everyone can participate in the Christian tradition of Lent that began after this past Tuesday, known as Mardi Gras (or Shrove Tuesday), on Ash Wednesday. You don’t have to be an Anglican Christian to observe a Lenten practice for 40 days. I have Baptist friends and evangelical friends that also enjoy the season of self-improvement.
So why 40 days? To commemorate the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert – according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke – where he gathered his resolve before beginning his public ministry.
I looked up Lenten practices and learned that there are three traditional practices: 1) renewed vigor of prayer/meditation (or maybe working out), 2) fasting or denial of something, and 3) alms-giving (justice towards neighbors). We could all do with a little of any of these.
I’ve already given up games on my phone, (did that last month, I was addicted), gluten, dairy, dope, late night dancing, driving fast, and adopted all the things that come with maturity and age. I mean, geeze, what else is there!
Oh, I know, it just came to me. Coffee! I am addicted to coffee. I single-handedly keep Starbucks in business. NOOOOOOOO, I can’t give it up! As much as I purchase it would be bad for the economy.
For Lent this year, I think I’ll just pray more and be nice to the neighbor who runs his power blower while I’m sitting on the porch, drinking my coffee.
