"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."
-- Niels Bohr
"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul."
-- Marilyn Monroe
"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame."
-- Laurence J. Peter
"The average man, who does not know what to do with his life, wants another one which will last forever."
-- Anatole France
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thoughts as Lent comes to an end for 2009 . . .
When I was growing up, the two high points of the year were Christmas and Easter. At that time Midnight Mass was offered at both Holy Days. These late night Masses seemed, to my youthful thinking, to be hurdles to the main events— Christmas presents and Easter candy.
Christmas always seemed the easiest to attain. The most we did was open Advent calendars and burn Advent candles during dinner time. A big return for little effort!
Now Easter was preceded by weeks and weeks of somber Lent. The usual meatless Fridays seemed even more meatless and we were urged to give up something. To my unformed mind, the return on Easter was very small in comparison to the ‘suffering' I had to endure!
Up until a few years ago, Lent still felt like a long, grey period of time. If you gave up something, it seemed even longer until you could indulge again. If you didn't follow through on a ‘give up' you felt guilty and Lent was still unending. I concentrated on what I had to do or couldn't have instead of looking forward to the ultimate reward of Easter. Although God offers us all the riches of Heaven, our human nature tends to tolerate hardships merely for the attainment of earthly goods.
I am slowly coming to the realization that Lent is not so much a time for giving up as for giving and forgiving. Lent should be a positive experience, building up to the hard to express but all too real joy of the Resurrection. The world, after all, waited centuries for the Coming yet we have trouble waiting out less than two months until Easter Sunday.
I looked up repent in the dictionary and discovered through it a viewpoint I had never taken into consideration. According to Webster's:
Repent — To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.
I can't find the negatives in this that are usually associated with talking about Lent, repent, etc. It calls for avoiding sin and getting on with one's life to the betterment of it. You can accomplish this though extra sacrifice and doing without during the Lenten Season and this is good. It seems to me an even better approach to Lent would be extending happiness in anticipation of the miracle to come in addition to sacrifice. God gives us this chance each year. Are we building our place in Heaven or are we waiting for the perfect year in which to begin?
Christ walked on this very earth by His own free Will. He lived as a man knowing each step took Him closer to terrible suffering and death on the Cross. As I read though the Bible and listen to the readings on Sundays, I cannot find any negatives in Christ's journey on earth. He did it all for us without any thought for Himself. He gave up His life in order to give in to our need for Him. I am hoping this year that I tried for a Lent that made my sacrifices a joy, and my joy a potential path to Heaven.
Christmas always seemed the easiest to attain. The most we did was open Advent calendars and burn Advent candles during dinner time. A big return for little effort!
Now Easter was preceded by weeks and weeks of somber Lent. The usual meatless Fridays seemed even more meatless and we were urged to give up something. To my unformed mind, the return on Easter was very small in comparison to the ‘suffering' I had to endure!
Up until a few years ago, Lent still felt like a long, grey period of time. If you gave up something, it seemed even longer until you could indulge again. If you didn't follow through on a ‘give up' you felt guilty and Lent was still unending. I concentrated on what I had to do or couldn't have instead of looking forward to the ultimate reward of Easter. Although God offers us all the riches of Heaven, our human nature tends to tolerate hardships merely for the attainment of earthly goods.
I am slowly coming to the realization that Lent is not so much a time for giving up as for giving and forgiving. Lent should be a positive experience, building up to the hard to express but all too real joy of the Resurrection. The world, after all, waited centuries for the Coming yet we have trouble waiting out less than two months until Easter Sunday.
I looked up repent in the dictionary and discovered through it a viewpoint I had never taken into consideration. According to Webster's:
Repent — To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life.
I can't find the negatives in this that are usually associated with talking about Lent, repent, etc. It calls for avoiding sin and getting on with one's life to the betterment of it. You can accomplish this though extra sacrifice and doing without during the Lenten Season and this is good. It seems to me an even better approach to Lent would be extending happiness in anticipation of the miracle to come in addition to sacrifice. God gives us this chance each year. Are we building our place in Heaven or are we waiting for the perfect year in which to begin?
Christ walked on this very earth by His own free Will. He lived as a man knowing each step took Him closer to terrible suffering and death on the Cross. As I read though the Bible and listen to the readings on Sundays, I cannot find any negatives in Christ's journey on earth. He did it all for us without any thought for Himself. He gave up His life in order to give in to our need for Him. I am hoping this year that I tried for a Lent that made my sacrifices a joy, and my joy a potential path to Heaven.
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