No, it’s not an odd concept. Well, not to me anyway!!
The whole point of Lent is that we focus even more strongly on God than we do normally. We get an extra half hour each day of prayer, and on two days in the week, the half hour slot is lead by one of the Sisters.
I’m either brave or stupid, because not only have I signed up for a slot, but I’ve signed up for the very first slot. I have a few reasons for this. First, it gets it done right at the beginning and I know I’ve done it. Second, if I’m first in, I won’t get worked up with thinking “how am I going to follow that” in response to the imput given by the other Sisters.
I’ve had this song running around in my head for the last week and a half:
To me, this song kind of sums up the reasons for Lent. So I’m using it as the basis for the imput I’ll be giving the Sisters. I just really hope that they appreciate the thoughts and themes of the song (they don’t have to like the song, I know it’s not everyone’s preferred sort of music). Anyway, I have images to print off to accompany the text, and I know how I’m going to display them. I just need to work out how to lead the meditations on the verses.
I have a week and a day to get this all ready – which should be doable, especially if I can get the printing sorted before the weekend.
Ash Wednesday here is what’s called a Black Fast. That means no internet and no talking apart from if I were in class or doing work. Food-wise, we do get to eat. Breakfast is bread, lunch is bread and cheese, and supper is a fish pie. Come supper, I’ll be starving. Food in Lent is simplified – we’ll be having rather more fruit than normal as puddings will alternate between stewed and fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is fine, but I’m still struggling a bit with some stewed fruits. (Gooseberries are a particular unfavourite.)
Anyway, here we go. It won’t be six weeks of gooseberries on a daily basis, and I’ll still be able to get online, but probably nothing like as frequently as I would like.
My Lentern Discipline is to try to stick to my timetable more and to actually practice my flute and other music when I have a music practice slot on my timetable.
If I’m not commenting as much, don’t worry. I’ve not disappeared, I’m just trying to be Holy.
I have to admit that I truly admire you for choosing this path. As you know, my path is vastly different from yours, but I don’t give it as much discipline as I should! I could learn a lot from you about true dedication to my beliefs x
I think it depends partly on the beliefs in the first place. Christianity being as mainstream as it is, it’s very easy to find out more about it by going to churches and finding people who are not too insane to talk to about it. I have no idea about wicca but I imagine that there probably aren’t the same quantity of local groups that you could meet up with to support each other on your faith journey.
As for joining the order, for me, it’s one of those things where I discovered a while back that I was going to be working for the church as my full time job, but it’s taken a while to work out the how, and even now it’s not certain that this is where I’m meant to be. And the Lent disciplines are in a way a lot easier when a lot of my life is not under my control.
Enjoy the experience…
Thank you. I shall try to document the weeks but can’t promise. Must also find the book that was recommended for my Lent spiritual reading (when I remember the title – it was something to do with St Benedict, which doesn’t narrow it down much).
Lovely post. I like reading about your experiences. And I think you’re idea for the song is perfect. I will try to follow your example and spend a little more time in prayer and eat more simply. Never had a gooseberry? Ill need to look that one up. Have a wonderful day!
You’re not missing out by having not had a gooseberry, as far as I’m concerned, anyway!
It is easier, in a way, to eat more simply when someone else is in control of the menu. That’s one of the advantages or disadvantages (depending on how you’re feeling at any given moment) of being in a religious community.
Thanks for the persepctive, Faith.
You’re welcome, The Hook. Good to see you!