Just as Christmas celebrations begin to fade from our minds in January and all the ordinary sets in, Lent draws us near as spring approaches. The fast before the feast. Our hefty goals for the new year are now a bit dim, yet our expectations still heavy on our shoulders. If we allow it, Lent—with…
“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” ~Thomas Aquinas Traditionally, Lent is a time when people of faith prepare their hearts for Jesus’ resurrection with fasting, praying, and repentance. But if you don’t know him, maybe Lent is the perfect…
A few days ago, a Christian acquaintance of mine posted on Facebook that while she didn’t come from a liturgical background, she had decided to give up her biggest vice for Lent “because it’s a set timeframe.” Forty days to break a bad habit in the name of the Lord. I sighed. I wanted to…
As a child I thought of adulthood as an arrival. Once you became an adult, you achieved a status of knowing, of stability, of comfort. But I’m in my thirties now, and I’ve finally realized that’s not how adulthood works. I’m both relieved and disappointed to discover I’m in a constant state of evolution and…
I’m crazy about Facebook. Unlike many detractors of our social media culture, I don’t believe Facebook represents the decline of civilization, is the root of all evil, or is the single most likely factor in the destruction of the next generation. I relish the opportunities Facebook gives me to connect with high school classmates, keep…
I didn’t grow up in a church tradition that followed the liturgical church calendar. While we lit candles in an Advent wreath, we rarely mentioned other liturgical seasons throughout the year. Because of this, I first learned about Lent when my Catholic and Lutheran friends in middle and high school asked what I was giving…