Lent

A few weeks ago, there was a day in Missouri so splendid it was almost impossible to stay inside. The weather was warm, the skies clear, and the feeling of burgeoning life heralding the arrival of spring—even before the trees sprouted their leaves—was palpable.

It was easy in that moment to think that the cold, barren winter had passed and spring was here to stay. It wasn’t to be. Not even a week later, the temperatures dropped precipitously, and winter roared back with a sudden snowstorm.

There’s a good chance I’ll be on a plane as you’re reading this. My husband and I are on our way to enjoy a vacation, a real vacation with hotels, nice restaurants, and fun things to do, outdoors and in.

The beginning of Lent is the perfect time for me to embark on a trip, the perfect time for me to release the limitation and smallness of the last two years.

Following the Christ within us to find peace

Today I imagine myself sitting next to Jesus and looking into his eyes. I ask him, “Master, how can I forgive?” After a moment, with a loving smile, he answers me.

“It’s not something you have to do by yourself. You can do it the way I taught you. Do you remember my prayer, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing?’”

During Lent, we fast from unwanted beliefs. We feast on Truth.

What are the ways we choose to recognize and “celebrate” Lent?

Lent is a season of preparation for Easter, coinciding with spring, the season of new growth in nature.

Beginning with Ash Wednesday, we count 40 days plus six Sundays until Easter. Easter always occurs on the first Sunday after the paschal full moon, or the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

A Cosmic Understanding of the Stations

First comes the exuberance of Mardi Gras, then the solemn Lenten season begins the day after. That means Easter arrives 40 days and six Sundays later.