Lent and Remembering

After last week's accidental impropriety, this week I am insanely aware of the approaching season of repentance: Lent. Working in a liturgical church this year has brought up memories of my childhood church experiences, and it has opened my eyes to new church traditions. 

Growing up Catholic, Lent was part of life. No meat on Fridays, and giving something up for the season were expected...no questions asked. In truth, I asked questions all year long as a pre-teen/teen, but I do not remember getting very good answers. Neither my parents nor the nuns at Catechism class seemed to have answers. Still, I pressed for proof, asking to see it in the Bible when I did not receive an explanation that satisfied me. This often landed me in front of a priest who told me that it was his job to know the Bible, not mine. I just needed to repent of my disbelief, say a couple memorized prayers and be a good girl. 

So my family observed Lent. We did not eat meat on Fridays. We gave something up for the season. The very young did not have to give anything up during Lent, but as we grew we were encouraged to give up something we generally enjoyed, like chocolate or pop. As a teenager, I started to give up water skiing almost every year. Growing up in Ohio, and never having had the opportunity to water ski to this day, giving up water skiing was not a huge sacrifice, but at least I had an answer when Fr. Hilkert asked what I had given up for Lent. I may or may not have been a smart aleck as a teenager...

I will pause here to say that I did not enjoy being Catholic as a kid, but I recognize that things have changed through the years. I know several practicing Catholics whose faith and trust in Jesus puts mine to shame. I only share with you what I remember of my experience, and (to be fair) that was a long time ago! I am thankful that I was raised in a faith tradition, growing a hunger in my soul that could only be satisfied by the truth I eventually found in Jesus. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

The churches I have attended as an adult have been non-denominational, Christian churches. All of them celebrate Easter and recognize the season of Lent in some way, although none of them practice the traditions of Ash Wednesday or individual Lenten sacrifice every year in a broad way. 

This year, working at a United Methodist church, my liturgical roots have come to the forefront of my memory banks once again, and it is kinda cool. On Wednesday, there will be a worship service, complete with the imposition of ashes. I will not be able to go to the Ash Wednesday service this year, but I am interested to hear about it, and to chat with church members about their observance of the season.

With all of that as background, I am confident that Lenten traditions of sacrifice are meant to help us identify with the sacrifice and temptation of Jesus in the desert, and the days leading up to the grandest sacrifice of all time: when Jesus gave His life in place of yours and mine. While I do not think that giving up chocolate or social media or water skiing (ha!) can ever match the sacrifices Jesus made, perhaps the time gained by giving up these things can afford us the opportunity to focus on what Jesus did and what that means for you and for me. If I were to give up coffee for Lent, for instance, every time I think of coffee would become an opportunity to think about Jesus...to praise Him for who He is, to confess to Him my sin, to thank Him for what he has done and to ask Him to be Lord of my life over and  over again. In this capacity, I can finally see the value I missed as a kid. 

What are your Lent and Easter traditions, friends? Please comment and let me know...I am so interested to hear some of your experiences! The more I learn, and the more exposure I have had to different churches through the years, the more my faith has grown. I am so thankful for the sacrifice Jesus made through Easter, and I will approach Lent with a new appreciation this go around. 

Until you get back to me on that, enjoy this picture of a knitted bunny!

And if you have a random knit square, and you are not sure what to do with it, check out THIS LINK. Easter is coming, so it is a great time to make a bunny!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit Bunnies in Good Health!

PS - I am so very thankful for the Pastor, the staff and the congregation of Avon United Methodist Church. I am enjoying learning about their traditions, and I love working there!