Ash Wednesday: Some Thoughts on Lent

I know it’s been forever since I posted.  I wasn’t really in the mood/I’m thinking up some great stuff to write about, but it’s going to be hard, so I’m obviously procrastinating. 

But here’s a couple of Lenten thoughts because that Catholic little girl inside of me loves her some holy days.

This poem was printed in our worship guide at the Ash Wednesday service tonight.

Is this a Fast, to keep

The larder lean?

And clean

From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish

Of flesh, yet still

To fill

The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour;

Or ragg’d to go,

Or show

A down-cast look and sour?

No:  ‘tis a Fast to dole

Thy sheaf of wheat

And meat

Unto the hungry soul,

It is to fast from strife

And old debate,

And hate;

To circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent;

To starve thy sin,

Not bin;

And that’s to keep thy Lent. 

By Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

There are so many things I love about this poem, not the least of which is how it calls us out on giving up food for Lent instead of giving up sin for Lent.  Just about everyone I’ve talked (myself included) is giving up something food-related for Lent.  Personally, I’m giving up chocolate (suck!).   But I’m thankful to this poem for reminding me again that giving up something I love/enjoy/am addicted to isn’t really the point.  The point isn’t to starve myself but to starve my sin and so my prayer this Lenten season is that when I want a cup of cocoa at the end of the day, or a shot of M&M’s from a colleague’s desk, or a giant slice of cake that God would use those moments to remind me of my sin, and break my heart about it, and lead me to repentance.  I want to starve my sin (or some days: God help me to even want to starve my sin). 

And now, here are two totally random thoughts that managed to creep around in my brain during the service despite my best efforts to concentrate on the holy stuff.

1.  How do they make the ashes?   I mean, where do they get such nicely colored, stick-to-your-forehead, high-grade ashes.  I went to seminary and I must have missed the class where they talk about how to make the best ashes.  Do pastors google that?  Is there an online store where you can buy them?  Are they saving up cigar/pipe ashes from the last year to mix with water to make a little paste?  Real thoughts by Jen, folks.

2.  Oh please, oh please, oh please don’t let Shayne notice how greasy my forehead is?  Why do I not have any of those little rice paper-blotter things with me?