Lent Day 1: Repentance

Lent starts today and this evening at church we will be having our service of Ashes. Everyday I plan on writing a little bit about my journey towards Easter Sunday and the celebration of our resurrected Lord. First a little background.

                     

Ash Wednesday is typically a day of fasting. Fasting can mean so many different things and in our Western traditions, where we like to celebrate by eating, fasting can seem like a drag.  During Lent many people will give up something that tempts them. I've always regarded this as a way to honor the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness being tempted by "Satan." 


Two major components come into play during Ash Wednesday. First the placement of the ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross. The Ashes symbolize what is said in Genesis 3:19 "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” These words remind us of our humanity and our mortality. Second, Lent is seen as a time of repentance & humility. By fasting we show our humility towards God and we repent our sins. 


Here though lies the contradiction. So many times, we as Christians will give up something to show off our fasting and honoring of Jesus' fasting. But Jesus warns against this, He warns us not to be boastful or show off to impress others. Often we take great pride that, "hey, I gave up eating candy for Lent." As humans we want others to be in awe of our sacrifice. But ultimately, it is not about our sacrifice, it is about Jesus' ultimate sacrifice so that we would be assured of our placement in heaven. 


During this season of Lent I will be following a C.S. Lewis Devotional. C.S. Lewis was a great Christian apologetic and his studies and writings are straightforward. This first day of Lent he reminds me that sometimes we think we have nothing to repent. Often times during our time of Confession, I think to myself, "I have done nothing wrong this week." That's bullshit really, and just by saying that, is assurance that I have sinned. Just because I don't wrong someone doesn't mean that I am sinless. I sin against even myself by thinking of my unworthiness or looking into a comment that I expect is meant to harm me. Not loving myself well enough is a sin against God, who loves me regardless of what I think about myself. All I can do is be assured by his steadfast love and the assurance that He made me to be perfect in his eyes. My neglect to see myself as His creation is my sin. To not trust in God is my sin. Therefore, today as I begin the season of Lent, I repent that I have not trusted Him. I pray that I can see myself in the Light He has conceived me. I pray that I can trust that He has created a life for me that is redeeming. Because even when I don't trust, the truth is there, He has created a redeeming life for all of us. 


I will not speak of my fast on this blog or of what I intend to do. I will instead focus on the days leading up to Christ's sacrifice and how I can learn from the gospels and His teachings. 


Peace to all...