REFLECTIONS ON LENT


	For the most part, I find that people think of the season of 
Lent as a "four letter word", which, of course it is, but you know what I 
mean.  As a child, I really dreaded Lent because it meant that I had to 
eat fish (which I hate), I had to "give up" something, I had to cut back 
on sweets (sugar withdrawal is a terrible thing) and it meant the 
appearance of the famous Lenten pastry, "hot cross buns", which, although 
they look pretty good from the outside, they are filled with disgusting 
little chunks of fossilized fruit....just a reminder, I suppose, that 
Lent is not supposed to filled with tasty treats.
	Over the years, however, I have grown into a deep appreciation 
for the season of Lent (although I still hate fish and think that hot 
cross buns are a mean trick).  In fact, I would have to say that I like 
Lent and actually look forward to the season each year.  And because I 
know that many, if not most, people have somewhat negative feelings about 
Lent, I like to wish people a "Happy Lent" just to give a little nudge 
away from the negative stereotype of Lent and to get them thinking about 
the positives of the season.
	Most people laugh at the greeting presuming that I am stating a 
humorous oxymoron.  Some people glare and mutter, "Your're sick."  But 
some know what I mean, smile, nod their heads and say, "Thanks.  Happy 
Lent to you".  Some people know that this greeting is more than just a 
mild attempt at humor and that there is something more to Lent than forty 
days of dreary deprivation.
	Lent is a season of reflection, re-evaluation, repentance and 
reconciliation.  Lent is a time of profound Grace and we are invited to 
let that Grace sink in, take root and change us.  Through our observance 
of these days by listening to the Scripture from the Lenten liturgies and 
by participating in the traditional practices of the Church, we are 
invited, in this holy season, to be stripped down and cleansed from all 
the obstacles that keep us from seeing our true selves clearly; stripped 
down so that we may come to understand more powerfully the Love of God 
who embraces all of who we are.
	There are many ways to enter into the spirit of the season and to 
"observe" these days.  It is not so important what we do as it is 
important that we do something to make these days different from all the 
rest.  One great way to enter into this season is by following the 
traditional practices of the Church which are: prayer, fasting and 
almsgiving.  What is great about these practices is that they give us a 
way to enter into this season of healing with body and soul; physically 
and spiritually.
	Almsgiving, which is more than just giving away money but also 
giving of our time through serving the needs of those around us, is a 
practice which encourages us to let go of things (money, possessions, our 
valuable time) which may have taken on too high a priority in our lives.  
Almsgiving encourages us to strip away those "things" which can cause us 
to be separated from one another.  It also challenges us to take a 
serious look at distinguishing between what we need and what we want.
	In the same spirit of examining our needs and wants, fasting, 
which is a practice of rearranging our eating habits either by cutting 
down on consumption or by abstaining all together, helps us to be 
reminded of our need for God to fill us.  Fasting allows us to feel 
physically the ongoing spiritual needs of the soul and can help us to 
feel the truth that only God can truly satisfy our deepest longings.  
Almsgiving and fasting help us to do, to feel, to tangibly experience the 
season of Lent.
	Prayer is the other traditional practice in the Church, and 
through prayer we are able to experience Lent on a spiritual level. 
Prayer slows us down, allows us to be focused, and enables us to be 
stripped away from our obsession with this world and moves us to a higher 
consciousness.  Prayer allows us to "see" our life and our works with the 
eyes of faith that opens the heart to seeing God in the midst of it all.