Lenten Accountability

As we've begun our third week of Lent, about a third of the way through this season. I thought this might be a good time to check in and see how our Lenten journey has been progressing. Oftentimes, we start Lent with good intentions a list of things we are going to do better, similar to New Year's Resolutions. But as the days where on, we realize that giving up red meat or Netflix or going to happy hours was harder than we had originally planned, and we're slipping.

But that means we're doing something right! Fasting is not supposed to be easy. It is not supposed to be something we casually do throughout these weeks, but something that we strive to do, something that we focus on, and truly bring God closer to us as we try to give up these things that build a wall between God and God's Love. So check yourself:

• Are you making excuses to consciously break your fast? Such as, it's her birthday or but Fuller House was just released!
• Are you breaking your fast without realizing it? Reaching for the ice cream or starting a gossipy conversation
• Are you "cashing in" your Sundays early? 
• Are you promising yourself, you'll do better tomorrow, only to not?

Lent is not intended to be easy, but it does not have to this big, grand gesture. God does not always work in the thunder and the lightening, oftentimes, God is the whispering wind. Just like when God tried to help Naaman, there was no big song or dance to it, Naaman was just told to go wash seven times in the Jordan. God was not asking for Naaman to do a lot, just to trust that God would help him (2 KGS 5:1-15). 

If you're taking onto too much, let a bit go, and keep some of the smaller pieces. Each little bit can help bring you and God closer together in time for the Easter to season to begin. All God wants is to become closer with you, and all you need to do this is to trust and allow God to guide you. So continue your fasting, you praying, and your alms-giving, but remember that God isn't looking for the grand gesture, God's looking for an act of trust. 

Tota tua, 

LeAnn 

Sick of Zombies

Josh loves AMC's The Walking Dead and Fear of the Walking Dead, and while I'm sure they are entertaining, and totally worthy of being watched, I'm just over this whole zombie thing that's been so dominant the last few years. One of my favorite professors in my undergrad was a monster-fanatic and expert. He taught me (and others) that literary monsters are not just created to be scary, but also are used to represent things and are tool for social critique,

The first film that our type of zombies, living (not reanimated) corpses, appear in, Night of the Living Dead was released in 1968, and has been over-analyzed to death. There are those that swear that movie is about the Cold War, other's call it a comment on KKK, and many note that the only African-American character, the protagonist and hero, is the only one who does not survive the zombies (which was traditional of American movies at the time). 1978's Dawn of the Dead carried America further into their zombie fandom, putting a zombie attack in a mall, and making the social criticism staggeringly obvious. Whatever you'd like to think, zombies are intended as symbols, not just as villains. Mindless, following the herd, feeding on whatever, doing whatever. they are commentary on a mindless society. A thoughtless society. A selfish society.

With Lent here in two days, I want to encourage you to be mindful of what you day in and day out, and ask what you do mindlessly. Do you follow religious traditions, such as receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday because "that's what you do" or do you do it because of what you believe? Do you tithe each week, giving however much because we are "supposed to" tithe, or because you want to donate to and support God's Church? Are you a Pharisee, harping on the rules of the Church instead of participating in full faith?

He responded, "Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips but their hearts are far from me; In do they worship me, teach as doctrines human precepts' You disregard God's commandments but cling to human tradition...You nullify the word of God in favor of your tradition that you have handed down.

                                                                                                                                  Mark 7:6-13

Ash Wednesday is one of the most-attended celebrations for the Catholic Church, and it isn't even a Holy Day of Obligation (although you should still go). So go with intent; Lent is built on prayer, fasting, and alms giving, but if all of this is done because we are supposed to, it means nothing, Choose your faith rather than simply going through the motions of it. 

Tota Tua,

LeAnn 

 

A New Season

I couldn't possibly be talking about Ash Wednesday, after all, isn't Ash Wednesday? It's kind of a big deal in the Church, almost everyone goes to Mass!

News Flash: Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation. 

It celebrates the beginning of Lent. It is a reminder that all of us are sinners, that we broken and battered, and need God at all times, not just on special days. Lent's purpose is to remind us of our sinful natures, and teach us to be better. This is why give up things, and add things to our spiritual life.

My approach to Lent has two parts; adding and subtracting.

During Lent, your spiritual life should grow. Just giving something up means nothing if you aren't giving it up to help bring yourself closer to God. When we were younger, we gave up candy or TV because it was what our parents suggested, or because we weren't sure what else we really liked. As adults in the Church, we give up things that put distance between us and God. You could also give up something you rely on, or take for granted. Examples could be a food you eat everyday, or a drink such as your morning coffee. I have known people to give up their pillows, adding salt to their food, chocolate, Facebook, and other things in life we take for granted. 

The second part requires extra effort to add something to your daily life. Lent is all about becoming closer to God, so the logical thing to add would be prayer. There are many different forms though; adoration, daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, and the Angelus would be more traditional forms of prayer. There are other options though; praying with your significant other, making an effort to read the Bible or other forms of devotions, spending time with family, or making more time for self-reflection. 

Try to find something this year that is going to push you, that will make being a better person seem all the more difficult and all the more obtainable. 

Good luck, God bless and as always, 

Totus tuus, 

LeAnn