Lent and abject failure
I am strange in that I love Lent.
Lent is a season where Christians across traditions, cultures, and time prepare for the Easter season. On Resurrection Sunday we will celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead and party because the things that hold us back and beat us up aren’t things that get to define us. We celebrate because we are not our worst mistakes.
We are so much more than our worst mistakes.
And so to prepare for that, we will add something to our lives or take it away From Ash Wednesday to Resurrection Sunday, we do something more or we don’t do something as we prepare our hearts for a great big celebration. Maybe we stop drinking alcohol, or we go for walks every day. Maybe we cut out sugar or we read our bibles more often.
This year, I decided to practice Meatless Mondays. This is a simple movement to decrease meat consumption for ecological reasons. Plus, you know, how hard can it be?
Apparently it’s SUPER HARD FOR ME.
We have had 4 Mondays in Lent.
I have had 2 Meatless Mondays.
What a mess!
I didn’t even fail because I consciously decided to do so— no—I failed because I just plumb forgot!
Mongolian Beef? Sure, what a great way to start my week!
Chicken Vindaloo? Yeah! Let’s start another week of Lent with some spice.
But this is why I actually love Lent. This is a celebration of failures. I am a Christian, I try to be like Jesus every day and beyond that, I try to be more like Jesus every day. And I fail at that all the time.
I’m short tempered, I’m negative, I’m unkind, I overindulge— and yet I am still a follower of Jesus!
In fact, followers of Jesus have been a part of a rumor— that we in some way are more perfect than other people. That we have gained some sort of super power to become super faithful and perfect beings. If that is the case, well sister, I didn’t get that software update.
As I laid my head on the pillow after yet another meat-filled Meatless Monday, I realized I had failed in my promise. I whispered a prayer of, “Jesus you are not going to believe this…” and I got to received forgiveness.
This wasn’t a sin that I ate meat. Sin leads to death, messing up on a Lenten commitment just leads to quiet conversations with the creator of the universe.
So when I sin— when I do something that leads to death either in me, my soul, or my neighborhood, I’ve already practiced what failure feels like. I know what it is to whisper a prayer and feel forgiveness.
Maybe you’re like me and Lent has been less than stellar. Please hear this encouragement— your failures during Lent are not a bug in the system— it is the main feature of Lent. Lent is a gentle reminder that for all of the gold stars we have gained in our life we are still hopelessly, perfectly and completely reliant on the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus.
And even better news— there’s gobs of it to share.
Grace and Peace,
M
