First Sunday of Lent
Snow. The very idea of snow to five year old Sammey was something out of a fairytale. There was something so very magical about it – from the way it brightened the world around me, to the way it sparkled and shone. I remember watching it fall from the window and begging my mom endlessly to grab my brother and play in it for hours on end. From sledding and building forts to having snowball fights and seeing every part of nature transformed around me, snow was the best thing. Nowadays, I find myself less fond of the snow. No longer do I stare longingly out the window and daydream about frolicking through it. Instead, I shiver, curl up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of tea, and hope spring will come along quickly.
In preparation for the season of Lent, oftentimes I find myself in the shoes of a snow enthused Sammey. Full of glee, curiosity, desire for more, eagerness to dive right in. So much to discover, so much to explore. In a time such as this however, after almost a year of the worldwide pandemic, I find myself relating more to the snow-cynic Sammey. I’ll power through, persevere and undoubtedly be changed, but I’m really wanting to cross the finish line already. I see my sisters and brothers in Christ gearing up for the season, sharing their lists of ideas for fasting, almsgiving and prayer, and I’m overwhelmed. I find myself in spiritual survival mode more than anything else.
In this week’s Scriptures, I am reminded of a few things that fill me with hope in these daunting moments. In Genesis, God establishes his covenant with Noah and his descendants. After this time of destruction by water, He promises that there will never again be such a flood, and this time of despair and ruin is followed by a time for growth and renewal. Then, the Gospel of Mark reminds us of Jesus’ forty days in the desert. Here, He is tempted by Satan, but arises from this and goes forth to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
Two very challenging events here – but from both instances of darkness, come light. And aren’t we too called to find the good that comes from our hardships? Just because our moods and mindsets may be clouded in this time, doesn’t mean that we aren’t still called to more. Jesus desires now more than ever for us to follow Him. We may be hesitant, we may feel discouraged, we may even want to just rest and “reach the finish line already.” But whether we’re uber-motivated in our Lenten practices this year, or take a simple approach and try to be consistent with praying and reminding ourselves of God’s presence throughout the day, this could be the most fruitful Lent we’ve ever had. As long as we have an attitude of being open to what God wants to speak to us and where He wants to lead us, we’ll get something out of it and grow closer to him by Easter. God’s plan for our Lent isn’t dependent on our mood and feelings; they’re not obstacles to Him.
So as with freshly fallen snow, let’s enter into our Lenten Wonderland. Whether we build a Lenten snowman or just take another sip of tea watching through the window as grace falls like snow on everything below it, let’s be receptive and see where the Spirit leads us.