Lent 2012 {Lent}

I found myself standing on a stage, in a dark room with one, single, bright, blinding light shining on me.  I tried to shield my eyes from the searing light in order to see who was behind it, but of course, I knew.  The words of Psalm 51 illumined so brightly - fueled by the Author's power.  The light was not war, but pure, crisp, almost a tangible wall and the Holder of the spotlight was unrelenting.  I stood here, at my entrance to Lent and the discomfort was unbearable.

I come from a stream of Christianity that does not observe Lent and this year I understand that much clearer.  Lent is exposure; Lent is discomfort; Lent is the caught child looking down at her shoes nervously twisting her ankles, rolling back and forth from tow to heel.  Lent - with its searing "caught you" light - forces that same child to turn her pockets out, exposing the junk she wishes could remain hidden.

In short, Lent exposes sin front and center....and leaves it there for a full 40 days.

There are no Hallmark cards for Lent.  It is not a holy day that the rest of the world wants to co-opt.  In my tradition, we believe we are sinners, but we like to move quickly to God's love and grace and much more pleasant sentiments.  But I've come to believe that Lent is exactly for those same believers...who having grown lazy have begun to drift slowly away from our First Love.

But Lent is all grace and love of God because it exposes our fractional living.  We live half-this and a quarter-that - mixing concoctions that work for us.  Lent turns our graduated cups upside down and empties us....in order to lead us to Wholeness.

But wholeness does not come easy.  It takes us being willing to remain on the dark stage in the light of Divine Interrogation for 40 days.  We must not our head "yes" to the convicting words of the great Lenten Psalm 51..."Thou art justified when You speak", and "You desire truth in the inmost being".  

It means being emptied, pockets shaken out, nowhere to hide and remaining in the raging love of God.

O Lord, give us the courage and stamina to make this journey!