Though I’m not a religious person it seems to be a reoccurring theme when I post. I did start Lent with the ashes smudged on my forehead – but it seems that is where my thrill ends. I passionately tried to find meaning through Jesus from Wednesday to Sunday that first week. I waited patiently for the book “a clearing season” by Sarah Parsons. A very nice reflective book for Lent. More warm and fuzzy than suffer and repent. I will use this book next Lent when I am more serious and know what to expect – 10 years of parochial school and all I still remember was loving getting those ashes! I mean to me I show up for ashes and Lent is a done deal!
This year I tried really hard to do it different. I started a Lenten thread on a forum — all I know is when people get involved the intentions of Jesus goes right out the window. I write in my ‘live and let live’ style; Jesus is love, what is was his passion all about – and whaaa- big huge bible quotes comes out – (do these people really have this stuff memorized?) and then the strict stuff – you know the uncomfortable exegesis I disagree with in the bible. The thing is, quoting the bible out of context and without due diligence of looking at the background of the writer of the ‘book’ (i.e.e Luke) and history of the time gives one a very different message than what I think was intended. But, I’m no theologian or bible scholar, not do I wish to be. I just happen to like God, mostly.
What really made a difference this Lent was my own exploration on keeping the feeling alive of that Christ Consciousness. That feeling that seeps in on rare days when the whole world is love, I find kindness easy, forgiveness gentle and automatic – like stepping into a Kinkade painting; the feeling of warm sun slanting through trees hi-lighting ripples of water running in a crick. My mind thinks in pictures and that’s the one that came up when I started writing about God’s goodness and grace in my heart. But then, it effin sleets cold darts at your face! The world gets shocked back into reality and people are stupid, ignorant twits! But, this year I really wanted it to be different. And honestly, I think it was.
While looking for books I came across “The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You“. From the book review on Amazon: “Paramahansa Yogananda takes the reader on a profoundly enriching journey through the four Gospels. Verse by verse, he illumines the universal path to oneness with God taught by Jesus to his immediate disciples but obscured through centuries of misinterpretation: “how to become like Christ, how to resurrect the Eternal Christ within one’s self”.”
Ironically, a book written by a Hindu brought me closer to a more consistent ‘good’ feeling/Christ Consciousness about others than anything I’ve read thus far. But, boy there was a cry of “I didn’t order these” when the two volume set came. They are very thick, big and heavy – somehow I thought $19.47 was buying slim volumes. What a shocker to find my money bought the equivalent of two dictionaries. So far I’ve only read the preface, introduction and first chapter – it’s dense reading, but peaceful, you know? I’ve become a better person – at least for me, even if it is only slightly; any shift is a good thing. And spending time with reading bible versus and this guy’s idea’s of what they truly mean comes a lot closer to my idea of God.
So, I really wasn’t successful on giving anything up for Lent, – I really wanted to give up television, but that just wasn’t going to work this year for health reasons — don’t laugh! It’s true! And I wasn’t successful leading a group through Lent, but I did try to honor their feelings about Lent – though there was one screw up when I got all know it all after reading “the book”. That seemed a challenge enough. It’s always how I treat the people outside of myself that is the barometer of the health of my Spirit. Lent is not over so there is still time to shift a little more. Wow, can I actually say I focused on the meaning of Lent the whole time?
I keep thinking of all those Cardinals deciding on a new Pope with empty stomachs – I can’t help but think this might effect the outcome adversely!
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