I hadn't planned on it. I had grown up with it in elementary school and respected it. But I was working at the Shelter I volunteer at. It is housed in a church that celebrates Lent. The previous pastor who created the homeless shelter died a couple of weeks ago, very suddenly. The fill in pastor and I were just checking in and she invited me to partake. It felt like I was honoring the previous pastor, so I did.
I found myself drawn toward the Lenten idea even more. The 46 days of sacrifice. The intent of the Ashes. The entire ritual. All day today I have a sense of yearning to keep a Lent devotion. More so than in the past.
I also appreciated the idea of rituals in religion.
I am interested to see how my lent will go.
I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
"I stayed because it was God and Jesus Christ that I wanted to follow and be like, not individual human beings." Chieko Okazaki Dialogue interview
"I am coming to envision a new persona for the Church as humble followers of Jesus Christ....Joseph and his early followers came forth with lots of triumphalist rhetoric, but I think we need a new voice, one of humility, friendship and service. We should teach people to believe in God because it will soften their hearts and make them more willing to serve." - Richard Bushman
"I am coming to envision a new persona for the Church as humble followers of Jesus Christ....Joseph and his early followers came forth with lots of triumphalist rhetoric, but I think we need a new voice, one of humility, friendship and service. We should teach people to believe in God because it will soften their hearts and make them more willing to serve." - Richard Bushman
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Ilovechrist77
- Posts: 687
- Joined: 08 Nov 2011, 21:42
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
Mom3, that sounds great. Good luck and God be with you in that spiritual pursuit.
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nibbler
- Posts: 4378
- Joined: 14 Nov 2013, 07:34
- Location: Ten miles west of the exact centre of the universe
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
It sounds like it's off to a very good start.
It’s strange. When I couldn’t find the drop and the plague came, you seemed so far away I would not ever be able to find you again. But I know now that you were here all along, and that nothing, not the Black Death nor seven hundred years, nor death nor things to come nor any other creature could ever separate me from your caring and concern. It was with me every minute.
― Connie Willis , Doomsday Book
― Connie Willis , Doomsday Book
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
I did Lent last year (but not the Ash Wednesday ritual itself). There's much more to Lent than giving up chocolate (or whatever). I know that Old Guard who would take offense at the suggestion we do Lent would offer up the "We (are supposed to) do those things all year round" defense but I honestly got something spiritually out of doing it last year. FWIW, like many others who do Lent I didn't even do it very well nor for the entire time - but that's OK.
In the absence of knowledge or faith there is always hope.
Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."
My Introduction
Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."
My Introduction
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
I recently learned the English word Carnival comes from the German celebration prior to Lent and literally means "Without meat" Carne-Val.
I too have felt spiritual stirrings during the religious rituals of other faiths. May this be a "tender mercy" unto you.
I too have felt spiritual stirrings during the religious rituals of other faiths. May this be a "tender mercy" unto you.
"It is not so much the pain and suffering of life which crushes the individual as it is its meaninglessness and hopelessness." C. A. Elwood
“It is not the function of religion to answer all the questions about God’s moral government of the universe, but to give one courage, through faith, to go on in the face of questions he never finds the answer to in his present status.” TPC: Harold B. Lee 223
"I struggle now with establishing my faith that God may always be there, but may not always need to intervene" Heber13
“It is not the function of religion to answer all the questions about God’s moral government of the universe, but to give one courage, through faith, to go on in the face of questions he never finds the answer to in his present status.” TPC: Harold B. Lee 223
"I struggle now with establishing my faith that God may always be there, but may not always need to intervene" Heber13
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Sunshine64
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 30 Jul 2019, 16:13
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
My boyfriend was raised Lutheran. So, we celebrated Lent this year with the candles and readings. At Christmas we have an Advent calendar. It has been very enjoyable and special for us both (drawing us closer to Christ).
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
That is beautiful. I am finding myself drawn to those traditions for the same reason. I need a Christ dunk. Keep it up.So, we celebrated Lent this year with the candles and readings. At Christmas we have an Advent calendar. It has been very enjoyable and special for us both (drawing us closer to Christ).
"I stayed because it was God and Jesus Christ that I wanted to follow and be like, not individual human beings." Chieko Okazaki Dialogue interview
"I am coming to envision a new persona for the Church as humble followers of Jesus Christ....Joseph and his early followers came forth with lots of triumphalist rhetoric, but I think we need a new voice, one of humility, friendship and service. We should teach people to believe in God because it will soften their hearts and make them more willing to serve." - Richard Bushman
"I am coming to envision a new persona for the Church as humble followers of Jesus Christ....Joseph and his early followers came forth with lots of triumphalist rhetoric, but I think we need a new voice, one of humility, friendship and service. We should teach people to believe in God because it will soften their hearts and make them more willing to serve." - Richard Bushman
Re: I Ash Wednesday-ed Yesterday
I think one of the nice things about the rituals of other churches, including Judaism, is that they seem to have a deep meaning to every part of them. Sometimes it's just a matter of looking beyond the surface, such as Lent being much more than just giving up something like chocolate. The rituals all have a purpose.
Sometimes I get a little surprised and sometimes a little distressed at how little many members know of other churches. I get the idea that if they feel they've found the one true church then there is no need to look outside of it, but I also think we can learn much from them - including some ritual. And I think the top leadership is not totally against the idea as evidenced by a renewed emphasis on the sacrament (as close as we get to ritual in regular meetings).
ETA: I was looking for this earlier when I responded. It's kind of a cool little thing, but the most surprising thing to me was at the end when it compares how much each religion knows about others or basic religious beliefs (especially Christian). This is what I was talking about when I said I was distressed at how little some members seem to know about anything outside their own worlds. (Hint: Members of the church formerly known as Mormons do worse than Atheists by a fairly big margin.)
https://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/u-s-re ... par=1&trk=
I'll share how I did if others do.
Sometimes I get a little surprised and sometimes a little distressed at how little many members know of other churches. I get the idea that if they feel they've found the one true church then there is no need to look outside of it, but I also think we can learn much from them - including some ritual. And I think the top leadership is not totally against the idea as evidenced by a renewed emphasis on the sacrament (as close as we get to ritual in regular meetings).
ETA: I was looking for this earlier when I responded. It's kind of a cool little thing, but the most surprising thing to me was at the end when it compares how much each religion knows about others or basic religious beliefs (especially Christian). This is what I was talking about when I said I was distressed at how little some members seem to know about anything outside their own worlds. (Hint: Members of the church formerly known as Mormons do worse than Atheists by a fairly big margin.)
https://www.pewresearch.org/quiz/u-s-re ... par=1&trk=
I'll share how I did if others do.
In the absence of knowledge or faith there is always hope.
Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."
My Introduction
Once there was a gentile...who came before Hillel. He said "Convert me on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." Hillel converted him, saying: That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah, and the rest is commentary, go and learn it."
My Introduction