Lent. The Beginning.

It's that time of year again, folks. In the past it's always been that time for me when everyone around me seems to be endlessly complaining about what they've given up and how much it bites that they don't have it. I grew up in the Lutheran Church and let me tell you, lent is a pretty big deal to Lutherans. So maybe that is why I have never been on board for the whole thing, as an act of defiance to a world I wanted no part of. I felt the 40 (or 46 as I have recently discovered) days was 40 days of opportunity for Christians to draw attention upon themselves and their so called sacrifices. This is one of the most frustrating and unfortunate effects of Christianity turned religion. The people who endlessly talk about what they have "given up for the Lord" but really were just trying to get a leg up on the other "not so holy Christians" disheartened me and for those reasons I had never once bought into fasting for lent. This was how I thought anyway. But I realize this isn't what lent is about at all. And the deeper I read into it, the more I like the idea of it.

To be completely honest, lent has always reminded me and seemed to highlight the types of people who call themselves Christians because they tithe a certain amount or have a really nice crucifix. The ones who would love to get into heaven by works. That is the type of so called Christianity I never want to be a part of. I'm not interested in doing this thing called following Jesus only when I feel like it is going to benefit me socially or because it seems cool. No thanks. This attitude has more than once led me to shut off the customs of the traditional church. Over the years, as I have tried to rebel completely from "traditional church," I have come to realize some of the most traditional customs of the church offer some of the greatest opportunity to become close with a very real and close God. And now I find myself wishing more people better understood these traditions and what they mean and how important they can be. I judged the traditions of the church too harshly.

That brings me to lent. Yes, a lot if so called Christians will do it simply out of tradition and without any heart or thought into the role it plays in communion with Christ. That, however, is no longer going to stop me from observing and understanding the most important event in Christianity. I want to take this seriously. I want to understand and to do this thing right. Afterall, this is God we are talking about, it doesn't ever get more important than that. Christ died for you. for me. We have heard that so so many times. And I feel we seldom understand it, seldom grasp it. I want to grasp this.

So, dear friend Lent, I am formally apologizing for never making an effort before this year. I'll try extraordinarily hard this time.