Posted on by PeaceBang

LENT: The Musical

Or should it be “LENT! The Musical!”

I look forward to Lent the way little children look forward to Christmas Eve. For a neurotic, narcissistic-leaning Eastern European melancholic, what could be more awesome than a full 40 days of religiously approved self-flagellation? Come on, that’s like finding money on the sidewalk! That’s like red velvet cupcakes on a platter brought to you in bed by an oiled up guy in a loincloth! That’s like a trip to Disneyworld! I dunno ’bout you, but I need Lent to balance the relentless “I’m OK, You’re OK” schlock salvation-by-self-help promises of our culture. I’m not really okay and neither are you, and yet in the sight of God we are precious, we are vessels of the holy, we are fully equipped and capable of following Jesus and being his disciples, AS WE ARE.

Tomorrow I am going to a midday service in the city (I’m a country mouse so it’s exciting to be going into the city on the train like a big girl — I’m usually driving in and out for a meeting), getting my forehead smeared with ashes and then having lunch with some friends. I don’t fast during Lent, I have other spiritual commitments that I make. This year’s is inspired by the poem “Now, Voyager” by May Sarton. I am going to “lay down the fiery burden” of intense opinion and choose blessing as often as I feel is right and good. This will require vigilance and discernment: am I having my chain yanked, or am I participating in some productive reflection that may lead toward hope and justice-making? Am I contributing to the common good by having passionate views, or am I bonding with people in self-indulgent and self-righteous ways by hating the same people?

I preached on this last weekend and it was one of those sermons that took forever to craft because I needed to hear it so much myself. I had to pray pretty hard through it to get past the crap and defenses and get to the truth of what I needed to hear… and say.

And how are you observing Lent, pigeons? DO tell. And remember, just because dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return doesn’t give any of us an excuse to look like zombies this season. I know it’s late winter and we’re all feeling a bit worn out, but the church needs you to remain vibrantly penitent this season. Keep that rosy blush handy while you drag around in sackcloth and ashes!

Now I’m cracking myself up.
But really — late winter is often the time many of us look like we got beat with the ugly stick. Give yourself a facial and get rid of some of that dead skin. I’m having one myself on Friday because my pores are the size of the Boston potholes.


Photo by the brilliant Vivian Maier.

19 Replies to “LENT: The Musical”

  1. Oh my, what a wise sentence: “Am I contributing to the common good by having passionate views, or am I bonding with people in self-indulgent and self-righteous ways by hating the same people?”

    This behavior is something we’re very prone to in my world (The Ivory Tower) and this is the *best* description I’ve ever seen of it. I can say for myself that all too often it’s surely the latter.

    Thanks for posting.

  2. PS Meant to say, I don’t observe Lent but I may just decide to concentrate on, as you say, choosing blessing for a while. Hmmm, but I suppose I still do have to critique and grade papers…gently! 😉

  3. My favorite Lent practice ever was giving up hot lunch. I was living in England, and it meant that I was without hot lunch on days that were often cool and rainy, like here in Oregon. Trying to find places to eat cold lunch was fascinating, and it certainly gave me a sense of the suffering the less privileged went through.

    This year, I’m doing a tech fast. I can get way too caught up in stuff like Facebook, so from 6PM to 9AM every day, I will be using this app called SelfControl to block Facebook, Pinterest, ApartmentTherapy, the news, and all the other sites I use which get in the way of me relating like a human being to the person I live with. I won’t block the bank or my budget software or Netflix, so we can still watch movies as a couple. But I bet I get a lot more reading and knitting done!

    I’m also going to be observing portion sizes and non-processed food. As a triathlete, I tend to throw things like balance bars in my bag and to resort to this sort of processed food as a norm instead of an emergency bite to eat. So I’m giving up processed bar type foods (except when doing my hour+ rides when I legitimately need to replace calories!) and focusing on whole foods.

  6. Bring on Lent the Musical – I would definately auditon for it!

    I love Lent and all the drama and all the contemplation. I’ve got a congregational book study going on, and the Sunday sermons are tied to it. I’m excited about the congregational feedback that I hope to incorporate in the sermons. And I’ve got my own personal Lenten 40-day jouney with Lauren Winner’s new book – Still: motes on a mid=faith crisis.

    Is it crazy to be so joyful at ths penitent time of year?

  7. “Come on, that’s like finding money on the sidewalk! That’s like red velvet cupcakes on a platter brought to you in bed by an oiled up guy in a loincloth! That’s like a trip to Disneyworld!”

    That must be the show stopping Second Act opening number.

    But you are fasting when you say “I am going to ‘lay down the fiery burden’ of intense opinion…”. You are also taking on “…choose blessing as often as I feel is right and good.”

    Sounds like a Lenten discipline to me.

    I am fasting from electronics for 2 hours every night and taking up two hours of silence (exception will be commands to the dogs).

  8. I’m excited about lent too. My disciplines are eating more simply (I take a lot of time poring over cookbooks, etc.) and limit screen time (not eliminate) and spend the extra time on good reading and prayer. I’m also going to spend more time with my kids about Lent–they are getting to the age where they can “get” parts of it

  9. The phrase that keeps popping into my brain is from a seminary professor who described Luther’s theology as “I’m not OK, You’re not OK, but it’s OK.”

  10. I’m giving up the NYT crossword puzzle app. Believe me, it’s a sacrifice. And being snarky, even when there is no one to hear me. I’m taking on kindness and an open heart.

  11. I’m giving up spider solitaire and bad reality television (I will finish out the season of Top Chef, which I consider “good” or at least good-ish, in that its enjoyment comes from something other than judgment, morbid fascination, and/or schadenfreude). Those two pursuits will eat as much time as I give them, leaving me feeling guilty, slimy, sort of hung over, and craving more. In their place, I’m taking more time to nourish myself on my off hours… reading, caring for my home, baking fresh bread, scheduling time with friends, anything but hours of spider solitaire & The Bachelor.

  12. My Lenten intention is to play my harp a little every day, as a way of praying with the hands and heart.

  13. I will be replacing some of my blog reading and podcast listening (which mostly consists of healthy living and triathlon stuff) with Christian/spiritual content. Any favorite blogs or podcasts to share?

  14. Re: “just because dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return doesn’t give any of us an excuse to look like zombies this season”…

    The gospel reading from today’s service includes my favorite prooftext for why we all should use moisturizer:

    Matthew 6:17-18: “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” [BA HA HA HA! I love you!! – PB]

  15. I’m giving up coffee and my messiah-complex. Those are related, since the hyper-caffeinated version of me is the one that fears if I stop working the world goes to hell in a handbasket.

    Thanks for your post! This one made me giggle! [And your comment made ME giggle, so we’re even! – PB]

  16. I’m preaching Mark’s version of the baptism and temptation of Jesus on Sunday. My Lenten intention is to remember my baptism and pay attention to the difference it makes in the here and now. And to pay attention to how/when the Spirit chases me into surprising places.

    And I guess that I just found the point of my sermon ! To invite us all to do the same…

  17. It’s not a musical, but do y’all know about LentMadness.org? I’m having a great time playing along, and looking forward to learning more about some of these saints I’ve never heard of before.

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