Ridgell's Originals

 I get asked quite a bit about what I think about Ash Wednesday and Lent.  And I have to admit that I have conflicting feelings.

Ash Wednesday.  I think there is something significant about remembereing the whole "dust to dust."  Thinking about life and death.  Sin.  Jesus.  But I keep remembering what Jesus said about paying in secret and fasting in a way that nobody knows.  Ash doesn't quite fit there.

But Scripture says nothing about Ash Wednesday.  Absolutely correct.  So of course there is not command to do Ash Wednesday.  Of course, you could argue that Ash Wednesday is found in the same section of Scripture that talks about what to do and not do on Wednesday nights.  You know, I Pickandchoose, Chapter whatever, verse noneofyourbusiness.

Lent.  Giving up something.  Spiritual fasting.  Great concept.  Of course, when you have a special season for it, then you have a hard time with the whole do it in secret thing.  And Lent/fasting is not just about what you give up.  It is giving up in order to use that time or energy in focusing on spiritual matters.  So the hard question is what do you do with the time/energy you save by giving something up.  

But Lent is not in the Bible.  Correct.  So no one has to practice Lent.  But most Christians I know have a hard time with fasting in general.  Call it whatever you want. 

I never heard fasting taught in church till I got to college.  And even then it was few and far between.  Never really knew anyone who fasted.  But again, maybe no one else is supposed to know when you fast.

So I like many of the principles of Ash Wednesday and Lent.

I personally do not practice either one of them in any formal sense or according to a calendar.  

In some ways, the Lord's Supper every week is a reflection of life and death.  Sin.  Jesus.  At least it is for me.

How about fasting?

You will never know.

# posted by Steve @ 5:12 AM