Forget your worries ... fast

CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON

A Lenten Thought

“They asked me how I know it’s true that the Savior lived and

died,

And if I believe the story that the lord was crucified?

And I have so many answers to prove His Holy Being,

Answers that are everywhere within the realm of seeing.

The leaves that fell at autumn and were buried in the sod.

Now budding on the tree boughs to lift their arms to God.

The flowers that were covered and entombed beneath the snow

Pushing through the darkness to bid the spring “hello.”

On every side, Great Nature retells the Easter story.

So who am I to question the Resurrection Story!”

-- HELEN STEINER RICE

I recall going to a special church service as a child on Ash

Wednesday, and having ashes put on my forehead and hearing about

Lent.

I remember being a bit confused by it all, but I knew that it was

meaningful. I spoke with people who attended an Ash Wednesday service

this year, and I was reminded again of its significance. I’m happy to

share some history and read- ings about Ash Wed- nes-

day and Lent that others have shared with me. This infor-

ation came from different sources, so I hope I have given proper

credit.

The Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 weekdays

until Easter. The first Sunday of Lent is called Passion Sunday, the

last Sunday is Palm Sunday and the week that precedes Easter is

called Holy Week. The ashes are symbolic of repentance of sin or

grief in mourning and the 40 days are symbolic of Jesus’ trial and

preparation in the wilderness after his baptism and before the

beginning of his ministry.

The original meaning of Lent is “holy spring.” Traditionally, it

was a time of preparation when Christians asked God to show them

their failures and to repent, pray and fast. It is also a season of

new beginnings, and a time to “spring clean” our spirits. There is

far more to it than these brief paragraphs, but I especially enjoyed

the reminder that besides fasting from certain things, we are to

feast on other things as well.

My father went to a service on Ash Wednesday and shared something

that had been recited by a presiding Episcopal bishop in the late

‘50s. It was a list of things to fast from and feast upon during the

season of Lent. Three examples were to “fast from discontent and

feast on gratitude; fast from bitterness, feast on forgiveness; fast

from worry, feast on the divine order; our God is trustworthy.”

I made a list that included, “I want to fast from negative

thinking, and feast on the joy of the Lord”; “I want to fast from

trying to make decisions on my own, and feast on God’s wisdom”; and

“I want to fast from anxiousness and feast on hope and the power of

prayer.”

This season, or any season, is always a good time to fast from

spending too much time focusing on the worries of the world, and more

time feasting on the love, goodness and graciousness of God.

And you can quote me on that.