Lent 20

Halfway through Lent... You know, I've always said Lent is a liturgical season that I love, because the Christian calendar represents the seasons of life, really, and no life is without the dark stuff. I quote my friend in an Ash Wednesday reflection from a couple years ago about the precise feelings I have right now, only halfway through the season:

Lent is more raw and real to me as a pastor as it ever has been before. I’ve always been drawn to this season, for the opportunity to be quiet and still, to take stock and begin again. So what a privilege it is to experience this sacred season as a minister. Being with these gathered communities on Ash Wednesday, I was actually looking forward to this Lent. Overwhelmed by the holiness and ready to live this intentional life day by day, for forty days, with people I deeply love. What could be better? I thought I was prepared, centered, ready for the wilderness.

Ashes to Ashes

Dust to Dust

I must have been smoking those ashes.

My Lenten confession: Two and a half weeks in, away from Ash Wednesday, I am done. Ready to quit. Willing to break my contract with Lent, no matter the consequences. I’m ready to run out of the desert and dive into the cool waves of the ocean. Trade my ashes for alleluias and dust for dancing. Ready already for resurrection.

And I will have to leave it at that for now as I've just been paged to the ER, back the reason that I'm ready already for Easter morning. Have a goodnight, interweb.