I have to admit that in my ignorance I never really knew what Lent was all about. The other day Hubby explained to me how Catholics will give up one thing from their lives in the time period before Easter. This is what Wiki says about it:
"Lent, in Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Conventionally, it is described as being forty days long, though different denominations calculate the forty days differently. The forty days represent the time that, according to the Bible, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.
This practice was virtually universal in Christendom until the Protestant Reformation. Some Protestant churches do not observe Lent, but most, such as Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, and Episcopalians, do."
Self-denial - that's the part that I'm referring to. My friend is giving up sugar for the 40 days and she's doing awesome!! But it got me thinking.... what would I give up and could I even do it? I'm sad to say that I don't think I could. I admire the practice. I can imagine such strength and closeness to the Savior by participating in Lent.
Now hold that thought and go forward a couple of weeks in my life and it brings us to yesterday. The kids have been fighting more and whining about video games more. So on the spur of the moment I decided that we were going to be a video/computer free house for a week. Blogging doesn't count. :)
This afternoon as I sit and "veg" I think back to my conversation with Hubby about Lent. And it really puts it into perspective for me about how difficult Lent would be. My thoughts continue on to the Savior and His 40 days of Fasting and Temptations. My little week of "lentishness" doesn't even compare. :( I am struggling with it and it hasn't even been 24 hours. "Natural Man" is VERY strong in me......
1 comment:
You can do it. I know I talk with people at work about lent and they just sort of complain about it, it has to have a purpose in order for it have meaning to you. If you want to do it ask Heavenly Father to give you strength to do it and, it won't be easy, but it will be doable.
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