Dust to Dust

Lent has begun, and the Internet already reeks of people's skewed perceptions and lack of understanding about it. Some are trying to secularize it, doing "something green" as a "carbon footprint" observance instead of a Lenten Observance. I also saw an article about the "Meatless Monday" diet... sounds a lot like meatless Fridays that Catholics have been observing since... forever (for different purposes, of course, but the timing was just too close to be a mere coincidence). Others just want something to "give up" (for the sake of giving it up, I suppose), and call it "observing Lent." I remember when I was in high school, the question on everyone's minds each Ash Wednesday was, "what are YOU giving up?" It was the hip and trendy thing to do; who cares about any spiritual implications? Honestly, those who don't do anything for Lent if their beliefs don't ask them to are the most sensible of the bunch.


I'm actually quite confused about the whole thing because the world (that which is worldy, not the planet per se)/society/people/Americans(?) are so intent on keeping religion (specifically Christianity) out of... anything and everything, yet they are trying to insert it (albeit incorrectly or in a terribly watered down form) into their lives. Cognitive dissonance, anybody? It seems to me that while trying to erradicate faith from their lives, they also feel a desperate need for something to believe in. Something bigger than themselves. Something that calls for them to be better. Anything but religion, of course. So they take good ideas, beliefs, and practices from religion and mold them into what they want them to be. They took Christmas and Easter (not to mention St. Patrick's Day and St. Valentine's Day); I suppose it was only a matter of time for Lent and Advent too.


As for me, I've been Catholic my whole life. Sometimes an ok Catholic, other times a not very good one at all. But I am trying to be better, and the more I learn and know about my faith, the more aware I am of the ways I can improve. And that, to me, is what Lent is all about. It's another leg of our faith journey; a more intense one perhaps, where we are asked to strive a little harder than we normally do in order to truly understand and appreciate Christ's sacrifice for us. That's where fasting ("giving up for Lent") comes in.


"Fasting is about letting our physical hunger uncover our spiritual hunger." It is meaningless if our purpose is anything other than finding a deeper connection to God. I don't usually "give up" something because I always found it to be more of a social action than a spiritual one. How many times have I heard: "No, I can't have chocolate because I gave it up for Lent."? It always seemed so superficial to me and I wasn't able to draw a connection in my mind between avoiding chocolate or sodas and coming closer to Christ. Jesus warns against showing outward signs of fasting, so I always instead tried to DO something proactive yet private, like reading the Bible every day or making it a point to not be judgmental of others. This Lent is going to be different. I actually am going to "give up" something: watching television during Little's nap. But it is with a few purposes in mind: 1. To use the quiet time God has given me every day to seek Him through reading and praying, and 2. To make better use of the time by being productive with chores and other things that need to be done around the house, all with a prayer on my heart and sacrifice on my mind. I like it because there are many benefits that will come from it. I have no lame excuse now for not putting my last new year's resolution into action, and I am going to have a cleaner house and a happier heart. Transformation. That is the purpose of Lent.


And really, that's all there is to it. We repent, we pray, we fast, and we await the Resurrection of the Lord. No need to avoid Lent or try to change it. Maybe people just want to avoid what we stand to gain (or lose, in a worldy sense) from fasting. Who wants to be challenged? Who wants to take a look at herself and see the not-so-pretty parts? Who wants a lesson in self-denial and self-discipline? Certainly none of the people who have adopted a sugar-coated love-and-accept-everybody-and-everything-just-the-way-it-is view of the world. I have no doubt that people want to change, but only so much that it isn't painful or noticeable (or useful).


Not possible. Just ask a butterfly.