Happy Lent!

The Lent Madness Logo

I wished a neighbour a Happy Lent yesterday, and she said, "Lent isn't supposed to be happy!" I replied that if it's a time designed to get us back on track with God, why can't it be happy?

Yeah, I know. I've had my share of dismal Lenten seasons. But with life as tough as it has been lately (for many reasons -- family illnesses, war, climate change, the local unkindnesses to homeless people, and the anti-trans ideology that threatens my kids and their friends), I need to spend my Lent focusing less on sin and misery -- there's enough of that already! -- and work with the good things that bring us all closer to Creator. 

So for the second year in a row, I'm choosing Lent Madness over penitential pessimism. Lent Madness is a completely different take on the March Madness tournament set up by the NCAA in the United States. Instead of pitting college basketball teams against each other in sudden death games, Lent Madness sets up 32 different holy folks in a so-callled "saintly smackdown" that invites readers to vote for one saint every day during Lent. It culminates with the vote on the final Golden Halo recipient.

Sound goofy? It can be a little silly at times (especially when the writers get into the saintly "kitsch" that can be found in online/souvenir stores), but it's also a way to learn about interesting Christians who have shaped our world through their compassion, conviction and faith. I explored a few of last year's contestants and found some really inspiring stories that motivated me to learn more about their faith and love for Christian community. (And don't worry, I was suitably penitential, too.)

Today's first saintly smackdown is between Thomas Cranmer (an English church reformer) and Thomas the Apostle, and it's never too late to get in on the event, though voting is available one day only -- tomorrow we'll have the opportunity to read, learn, and vote about two more holy folk.

I first heard about Lent Madness from Pastor Jim at ICPM, and couldn't help but participate fully last year. It was actually quite a moving experience, learning about saintly people I had never heard of, praying the daily prayers with some of the communion of saints I hadn't yet met, and discovering new holy friends who struggled with being human like we all do.

If you're looking for some saintly inspiration this Lent and want to join me and many other Christians from across North America, visit https://www.lentmadness.org/ and subscribe to the daily emails. 

And have a Happy Lent!

Breaking down barriers

Here's the video I mentioned in yesterday's moodling. If you've ever met my friend B., you know her smile and soft voice knocks down walls even better than she breaks boards. Enjoy! And click here if you would like to subscribe to see more of Michael McDonald's wonderful L'Arche videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAxbdIJL7l4

To the well again

The woman at the well icon at Taizé

Every day, Lord,
I try to return to the well to sit with you.
Heaven knows I'm not always successful
when it comes to actually getting there...
and staying there!

But when I do come,
you know me better than I know myself,
and you show me to myself in the silence.
You tell me everything I have ever done,
and I don't always like what I hear.

But resting in your presence
and listening for your voice
I discover who I really am
and how deeply I am loved.
And our silence together
often inspires me to action --
to move from silence with you
-- to presence with others.
I know what you want me to do -- or not do.

Now that you have given me your living water,
my thirst for you only increases,
and I only want to return to the well
to sit with you again.
Help me to get there...
and stay there!

+AMEN.

Celebrate what's right with the world on a Sunday

If you can get past the initial feeling that this 22-minute video is a National Geographic commercial, and beyond Dewitt Jones' narration of what it's like to be a great photographer, this is a gorgeous inspirational find. Isn't nature and human nature amazing? Enjoy!