The whole point of Lent

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This should read "I unplug to Build a Miracle"
I'm already unplugging this Saturday ... it turns out that I'll be unplugged anyway as I'm heading down to Tijuana to Build a Miracle.

Lent can be a time for giving up something or taking on something, an offering up was how I heard it beautifully expressed today on Facebook by Christianne Squires.

Also this morning, I followed a link from Facebook or Feedly, don't remember which, where the blogger (don't remember who, I was on the go at the time and didn't think to save until it came back into my mind and resonated later) said that the goal of Lent is to remember God.

Last year, I wrote:
"The whole point of Lent, I am finally coming around to understanding, is not giving something up or taking something on, but pausing in the headlong rush of our days to make time for God, the one who is supposed to be our number one priority but so often gets relegated to "after I check Facebook" or "after I do X productive thing" or "I'd rather watch television." (These are all me.) It's not an obligation but a remembering of the gift that each of us has through being in relationship with God. It's an astonishing thing, and I think because God's not there physically in front of us, we tend to take God for granted and not enjoy God now."
Hmm, not a lot has changed since last year.

I usually do one thing for Lent, whether it's to drink only water (and donate the proceeds of liquids I didn't buy) or read a particular book (link shows my 2012's options).

This is my plan (coming just under the wire as it's Ash Wednesday tomorrow):
  1. unplug every Shabbat (Friday sundown to Saturday sundown) during Lent. Yes, I know, I'm mixing faiths, but tough $%!*! (Clearly, I am not giving up cursing for Lent.)
  2. say the Sh'ma (and V'ahavta (chanted) -- is that a given usually? the two together?) every day. This is almost a bit of a cheat, because I already do this regularly, although not daily. It also encapsulates the point of remembering God. The whole point of the V'ahavta, I maintain, is that God really, really, really doesn't want us to forget Godself.
  3. dance daily.  Hey, it was good enough for David to offer to the Lord.
  4. Lent Madness. I've even got a booklet reserved for me (which I would've picked up on Sunday but I didn't go to church, so I'll pick it up tomorrow night at the Ash Wednesday service or at choir practice) but I'm in it for the fun, the snark, and the kitsch round later in Lent.
This might be a bit of stretch, but the way I see it I've given myself three things to do on a Saturday when I'm "unplugged". Will keep you posted as to how I go. Hopefully your plans aren't nearly as ambitious.

What's your plan for Lent?

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 7, 2014 at 5:22 AM

    Give up pizza, say a Rosary every day, attend Stations of the Cross as often as possible. (My parish does Stations every Friday during Lent, and through a quirk of the schedule, I have three of the next four Fridays off!)

    ReplyDelete

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