Lent Begins.
Mardi Gras came and went this year and sadly, I was so wrapped up in my grad school world that I let it slip by without even taking a moment to reflect on the years of memories, thousands of miles walked through the streets of new orleans, the myriad (yes, myriad) of beads I have collected over the years, and the spirit of Mardi Gras that fills your soul and leaves you dancing in the steets.
The end of Mardi Gras also marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent began today with Ash Wednesday and as Catholics, we celebrate the Lenten season by fasting, abstaining from meat today (and every Friday in Lent), and receiving ashes. And thus begins the STARES and comments. I went to mass this morning at 7am with Caleb and Christy because my day was so jam packed I wouldn't have time to go later (such is the life of a grad student...). Upon leaving mass, Christy stopped at Starbucks where someone kindly told her she had something on her forehead. I managed to get through most of the day without a comment until this afternoon when one of our student workers pointed out I had "dirt" on my forehad. Not dirt I informed her, ashes.
So what's the deal with the ashes? And why the blotch of ash? Depending on the artistic talent of your neighborhood priest, the smudge is actually supposed to be a cross. Mine was a cross this morning but a crinkled forehead during a frustrating research class left the cross looking more like a smudge. The ashes represent our mortality: "we are dust and to dust we shall return." But the ashes also represent our humanity and our sinfulness. The Lenten journey is one Catholics are called to share together as we walk with Christ and prepare for His ultimate sacrifice for us.
Aside from the whole ashes thing, Catholics are also called to "give something up" during Lent as a reminder of the suffering Christ bore for us. In years' past, I've tried to take something on rather than give something up such as reading a daily devotional, attending an extra mass once a week, etc. This year, I've decided to let go of Facebook. I'm pledging to not log on facebook until Easter Sunday. "Blasphemous" some have said, "Ridiculous and Impossible" from others, and from a colleague today, "stupid." But it's the choice I've made. I'd like to show people facebook doesn't need to dominate our lives. I survived close to 21 years without it and I think I can make it 40 days.
We'll see....Cheers.
The end of Mardi Gras also marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent began today with Ash Wednesday and as Catholics, we celebrate the Lenten season by fasting, abstaining from meat today (and every Friday in Lent), and receiving ashes. And thus begins the STARES and comments. I went to mass this morning at 7am with Caleb and Christy because my day was so jam packed I wouldn't have time to go later (such is the life of a grad student...). Upon leaving mass, Christy stopped at Starbucks where someone kindly told her she had something on her forehead. I managed to get through most of the day without a comment until this afternoon when one of our student workers pointed out I had "dirt" on my forehad. Not dirt I informed her, ashes.
So what's the deal with the ashes? And why the blotch of ash? Depending on the artistic talent of your neighborhood priest, the smudge is actually supposed to be a cross. Mine was a cross this morning but a crinkled forehead during a frustrating research class left the cross looking more like a smudge. The ashes represent our mortality: "we are dust and to dust we shall return." But the ashes also represent our humanity and our sinfulness. The Lenten journey is one Catholics are called to share together as we walk with Christ and prepare for His ultimate sacrifice for us.
Aside from the whole ashes thing, Catholics are also called to "give something up" during Lent as a reminder of the suffering Christ bore for us. In years' past, I've tried to take something on rather than give something up such as reading a daily devotional, attending an extra mass once a week, etc. This year, I've decided to let go of Facebook. I'm pledging to not log on facebook until Easter Sunday. "Blasphemous" some have said, "Ridiculous and Impossible" from others, and from a colleague today, "stupid." But it's the choice I've made. I'd like to show people facebook doesn't need to dominate our lives. I survived close to 21 years without it and I think I can make it 40 days.
We'll see....Cheers.
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