In Defense of Going Through the Motions
Growing up in another Christian tradition, I never observed the season of Lent. Honestly, I don’t think I had even heard of it until I was a young adult. As a child, I vaguely remember the Catholic church down the road having a fish fry around this time, but I had no idea why they decided to “go pescatarian” for a few weeks each spring. In the congregation of my youth, there were only three days that really mattered: Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. If we wanted to do anything to prepare for these celebrations, we were on our own.
When I stepped into the Presbyterian tradition, however, I quickly found out what I’d been missing. These ancient feasts went from flashes of light to slowly burning candles. They went from standalone moments of excitement to entire seasons of spiritual formation. As I went through the motions and rituals of Lent, in particular, I noticed how much more meaningful Easter became. Taking on a new spiritual practice or forgoing some personal delight for several weeks helped me to enter into the hope of Resurrection and deepened my faith in ways I could not always articulate.
It’s my hope that, during this season of Lent, you will commit to going through the motions. Apply ashes (or some approximation) to your forehead, remembering you are dust. Take a moment each day to read a passage from the Gospels, seeing yourself in the Story. Wash someone’s feet, acknowledging that love requires humility. Give up caffeine (okay, maybe that’s a bridge too far!). Wave the palms, lift high the cross, and finally, praise our risen Lord. Let us be people of preparation, hope, and resurrection!
Grace and peace,
Beau