Lenten Practices

I opened the sermon on Ash Wednesday saying something about “What are you giving up for Lent?” Lent is a time when so many of our brothers and sisters in the family of faith are practicing Lent by giving up a number of things: chocolate, ice cream, smoking, being generally nasty, etc. But it is also good to consider what we might TAKE UP. What practice might we begin? Praying the psalms throughout Lent? Contributing 2 cents a meal to the Presbyterian Hunger Program? Cleaning out our closets and giving unused and lonely clothes to the clothes closet? Sending a card to a shut-in, or maybe delivering it in person? We want to consider what practices might impact US as well as OTHERS. Jesus was concerned not only about private piety but public policy. What we do internally, privately, affects others externally, publicly. The most difficult thing about being a Christian, I think, is recognizing that not only does Jesus want me to change. He wants me to help change things in this world. Lent is about that. Lent is also about the cost of that. May Christ be with you as you practice your Lenten practices. Don’t worry–you can do it until you get it right!