Its Lent!

Welcome to Lent.

Like any good Catholic, I should have gotten my ashes this morning and if work doesn't take over I'll use my lunch break to get a smudge on my forehead that will somewhat look like the cross.  The beginning of Lent always reminds me of Catechism, making alpha & omega candles in pink and purple, walking the Stations of the Cross and all the other fun stuff we use to do in class.  Then we would take some time to reflect on our relationship with God and make a determination to "give something up" for 40 days just like Jesus gave up food and fasted in the wilderness.  When I was younger I would give up chocolate, in high school it would be giving up my foul mouth (which I'm sure my Mother would love for that one to come back) and college the ultimate - fast food.  

These days I really have to think about what my relationship is with God.  I know I need to get back to Church.  I do enjoy going but something always seems to prevent me from attending; its the Lifetime movie that's so bad its good, its the casserole in the oven and for some sad reason its the fact I have to 'dress up' when I love wearing sweats & a t-shirt.  Its not like I think God really cares what you wear to Church as long as you show up, but I have a feeling other parishioners do care if you're wearing sweats.  And Church seems to be costing more money than usual, over the Summer my Church was getting all my cash leaving me penny-less for the week with two offerings per mass, taking my $5 for the first offering and stealing my secret $20 for the second.  But this Lent I've decided instead of giving up something (besides the standard meat on Friday's, that's a given) I'm going to do something instead.  I'm going to go to Church (sweats or no sweats) and reestablish my relationship with God.  I seem to always walk out of mass happier (even when I'm down an extra $20 than expected) than when I entered and I think there is something about that 45 minutes in Church reconnecting with God and my Faith that really does something for the soul.  So that's my Lentil promise to God this year, He'll be seeing more often.

Ash Wednesday: Mortality, Humanity and Humility


UPDATE:
Sorry God, I'm starting off Lent like a real winner.  I had lasagna with meat sauce for lunch and I've made chicken with prosciutto for dinner.  I promise tomorrow I'll be better.