This is my first time taking part in the 40 days of Lent. Lent it the Holiday celebrated by Catholics, Lutherans, Orthodox and Anglicans in honor of Jesus's fasting for 40 days. The 40 days of Lent are the lead-up to Easter Day and the resurrection. This is a time, when each moment should be done with awareness (if it wasn't before) and with the awareness of Christ in one's life. Ash symbolizes mortality. Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust...in the end it's what our bodies become.
Ash Wednesday was the largest Catholic Service I've ever attended. Saint Michael is a big parish, and every pew was filled. One of the readings was about not parading virtue in the streets (like the Pharisees did of old apparently) (which having an ash cross on ones forward kind of contradicts). But I think what the cross serves as, is a reminder of the community supporting you in your Lentin fasts. When the Priest was blessing the ashes he accidentally called them "Holy Asses," before he corrected himself. So that was moment of humor in one of the most beautiful services I've attended. (The music was old Latin sometimes and their was so much passion in the singing that day). I received the ash cross on my forehead that mass and the old woman told me what she told all of us, to "Return to the Gospel," which to me meant returning to the virtue within the Gospel (not the vice and evil within the Gospel).
As you know, I'm not a Christian. So why am I taking part in Lent? Because I am aware of the ways I fall short. There is something to be said for days that are deemed significant, like Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, The New Year, Ash Wednesday, Rosh Hashanah, and others. When there is community support in act, like with AA (alcoholics anonymous) or NA (Narcotics anonymous) a person's will grows, because it is part of the communities will. I don't really want to publicize everything I'm giving up on a blog (though if you ask I will tell) except for some obvious ones like coffee (and giving up meat on Fridays, I failed on that on Wednesday), as I plan to better live with compassion, courage, temperance and humility in my speech and actions. These are things I CAN get better at.
I am so lucky for all the support I have. I have never worried about going hungry, lack of transportation, being homeless, being unable to afford an education, been mortally sick or an unhealthy body. This month and beyond this month I want to be better at helping those who aren't as fortunate as me. I'm graduating in a week and I need to responsible for more then just myself. Who ME is, is a part of everyone else, and who I am is a part of others too...
So to those practicing Lent, know you have my support, and if you want to do anything to serve the community with me, let me know. I'll be looking for opportunities to volunteer and get involved and to help others wherever I am.
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