Entering Lent and discovering God
Lent is around the corner, and the question of how to enter the season of the desert journey with Jesus is upon me and us. Lent and the practice of fasting is complicated for me. I don't like to give up my superficial acts as if God is glorified by giving up beer or Netflix or sugar or gluten or caffeine. Yet I am coming to sense and discern that many of these behaviors are indeed superficial and serve to distract me from the deeper questions that I too often desire to keep quiet, push down, and outright ignore. They are superficial and seek to comfort and soothe my body, so I can ignore the sensations and discomfort and pain that are naturally and attentively waiting to be felt.
For the next 40 days, including Sundays, I am going to give up those behaviors that give me comfort and keep me asleep from the world. Booze, sugar, fried food, late night phone perusal and streaming video have become my comfort in life and death. I wonder if what scripture or the catechism says is true for me? Am I fully committed to Christ as lord? Is God my only comfort in life and death?
When Passiver comes and Seder is practiced, I will repeat the centuries old liturgy, "we should have been content." My current contentment comes through the digital rush, comfort eating, and escaping from the pain all around me. This Lent, I plan to give up those daily obsessions to discern how my contentment comes through presence with and in Christ. Letting the superficial comforts go is how I will journey with Jesus through the desert and the stations and to the cross and resurrection.
So on Shrove Tuesday, I will relish in my superficial friends and enjoy wine, fried cheese, and television. I will throw a party and say goodbye to them. And once the resurrection occurs, again, I will return and say hello to my old friends, but they will be friends to enjoy and not idols for obsession.
For the next 40 days, including Sundays, I am going to give up those behaviors that give me comfort and keep me asleep from the world. Booze, sugar, fried food, late night phone perusal and streaming video have become my comfort in life and death. I wonder if what scripture or the catechism says is true for me? Am I fully committed to Christ as lord? Is God my only comfort in life and death?
When Passiver comes and Seder is practiced, I will repeat the centuries old liturgy, "we should have been content." My current contentment comes through the digital rush, comfort eating, and escaping from the pain all around me. This Lent, I plan to give up those daily obsessions to discern how my contentment comes through presence with and in Christ. Letting the superficial comforts go is how I will journey with Jesus through the desert and the stations and to the cross and resurrection.
So on Shrove Tuesday, I will relish in my superficial friends and enjoy wine, fried cheese, and television. I will throw a party and say goodbye to them. And once the resurrection occurs, again, I will return and say hello to my old friends, but they will be friends to enjoy and not idols for obsession.
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