Lent - Just do It

I love the season of Lent, for in entering the joyful rigors of the holy season we are able to enter into the joyful Alleluia's of Easter. Most of us do not take the Lenten call of the Church with much seriousness anymore, and the Church is less for it. Taking the rhythm of the Church Year seriously invites the heart into the seriousness of 'working out your salvation.' And the our here is, I believe, plural. I cannot work out my salvation alone, nor can anybody else. I work it out with you and with God, together. So when I ignore the we of Church, we are all weakened. The culture that we live in is not interested in the rigors of the holy discipline of the Church. I wonder if I am interested in the rigors of the Holy Church? Are you? Are we? Lent reminds us of the call to follow Jesus, to pursue holiness, to take up our cross and follow Jesus. That very prospect should be exciting to any Christian Family. So Lenten devotions should not be met with WOE, but in the pursuit of Jesus, the devotions should be met with WOW.

LORD have mercy, Brian+

Let us joyfully begin the all-hallowed season of abstinence; and let us shine with the bright radiance of the holy commandments of Christ our God, with the brightness of love and the splendor of prayer, with the purity of holiness and the strength of good courage. So, clothed in raiment of light, let us hasten to the Holy Resurrection on the third day, that shines upon the world with the glory of eternal life…
by Theodore, Lenten Triodion, Matins for Monday of the First Week of Great Lent

Let us hasten to tame the flesh through the fast and abstinence… Were I to imagine the punishments all my sins deserve, I would fall into despair, O Lord My Savior: I have disobeyed your high commands, wasting my life in extravagance. Wherefore I beseech You: cleanse me with showers of forgiveness and strengthen me with fastings and supplications, for You alone are compassionate. Reject me not, All-Bountiful One whose goodness exceeds every measure.
~Stichera of the Triodion, Monday of Great Lent, Vespers Sunday Evening