Lent Begins!

 

We begin forty days between now and Easter.

 

Wait…that can’t be right you think!  You flip to your calendar…count the days…and come up with 47.  Then, you think, “Wow…Wes is really bad at math!”

 

Now go back and count excluding Sundays.  Go ahead…I’ll wait.  The season of Lent does not include Sundays in the mathematical count.  Some suggest we exclude Sundays because we live on the other side of the Resurrection ~ we know the end of the story before we begin. Others say Sunday is always for prayer and praise – no matter the season.  Sundays are sacred and set apart.  For whatever reason, Sundays don’t count in the total when we refer to the 40 days of Lent.

 

The tradition was during Lent to fast or give something up.  You may give up chocolate or soda or alcohol.  Others say you are to take something up like prayer or reading the Bible or complimenting your pastor on his insights (just wanted to make sure you were still with me).

 

I invite you today to play with the image of fasting and feasting. 

 

You may fast from criticism or cynicism ~ always thinking or expecting the worst.  Instead feast on moments when you sense a trace/thread of God’s grace even in the brokenness.

You may fast from spending money on things you don’t really need.  Instead feast on a treasure already in your home ~ for example eat off your Grandmother’s China every day.

You may fast from filling your schedule so full there is no margin trying to prove to yourself that you are needed and necessary.  Instead feast on moments when you have nothing to do and are even bored. (This last one might be personal for me!)

I pray you will ponder this invitation and even share your moments of fasting and feasting within our online community here.  I am holding you in prayer as we begin this holy season of Lent.  Remember we worship today at noon and 7 pm in the sanctuary.  With great love for God to grant you a holy, meaningful, enlivening, embracing, and enfolding Lent.