Happy Lent?

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Christian tradition.  So Happy Lent!  This is a time when people are suppose to give something up, to sacrifice.  This is meant to have us suffer in some way in order to share in Christ’s experience of the sacrifice of his life for us through his crucifixion, as well as all the events that led up to it.  But is it really a thing that’s given up during lent that makes sacrifice meaningful, or is it just meant for us to make Lent meaningful?

Right now you’re probably wondering how I could say “Happy Lent!” and then proceed to talk about sacrifice and suffering.  At Christmas time I asked you to think outside the box a bit about Jesus’ birth and him being referred to as the light of the world.  I’d like to suggest that you now think a bit outside the box again about Lent and Easter, and the true significance of these events.  As we all know, Advent is a joyous time that leads up to the joyous event of the birth of Jesus at Christmas.  We put up lights, bake goodies, do all kinds of good deeds to spread joy and peace, then celebrate with gifts to all those people we love and appreciate.  It’s all about celebration and merriment.

But now think of what Lent and Easter are really all about.  Is it about walking around with a “woe is me” attitude because we’re sacrificing and giving up so much?  No!  It’s about the culmination of Jesus’ whole life, the whole reason why he came here in the first place.  To show us not how to suffer and die, but how to live like him in total unconditional love and forgiveness so that we too can rise above death, conquer death, and rise to eternal life and love!  Why do we spend six weeks of “suffering” during Lent, and then only one day of celebrating the most incredible event in all of human history…. the resurrection?!  Why do we spend weeks (sometimes months) at Christmas time to prepare for Jesus’ birth on earth in physical form that will be for such a short period of time, but we don’t do the same to celebrate with joy the event of Jesus’ resurrection, basically his rebirth into eternal life?  Why should we lead up to a physical birth with such joy, but to an eternal life with sacrifice and suffering?  Think about it.  Did Jesus ever ask anyone to suffer?  He taught about love and forgiveness, and how these may cause suffering because of difficult choices we may encounter in order to achieve love and forgiveness for ourselves, as well as achieving peace, truth, and ultimately, eternal life.  But if these are the end result, have we actually really “sacrificed” anything?  If anything is keeping us from eternal life, how can it be a sacrifice to give it up?  Who in their right mind would want to hold on to it?  Jesus didn’t!  He had no doubt about the choice he needed to make to give up his earthly life, even though it caused him to suffer, in order to receive the ultimate prize of eternal life.  And he did it for US as well as himself.  That is true love.

So here’s what I’d like to suggest you try for this Lent.  Every day, “give up” only a little bit of something that’s a prized possession of every single one of us.  Time!  Consciously take the time to send an email to someone you haven’t been in contact with for a while, send a card or note to someone to just let them know you appreciate them or are thinking about them,  do some volunteer work, take somebody to a movie, play with a child, meditate, pray for someone (even better, pray for those we consider “enemies”),  forgive someone.  The list can go on and on.  Be creative!  You have six weeks of being able to donate a little time in order to spread love and forgiveness in ways that can have ripple effects around the entire world.  And the coolest part of all this?  All that love, kindness, forgiveness, peace, and joy will come right back to you!  Without suffering, you can “sacrifice” time that will help you and many others enjoy a bit of heaven here on earth until you enter eternal life.

Jesus didn’t say, “My suffering I leave you.”  He said, “My peace I leave you.”  Jesus was the ultimate so-called sacrifice, the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.  Now that’s something to be joyful about and celebrate!  Happy Lent!

As always, please feel free to forward this message to anyone you think would benefit from it.  Also let them know that they can sign up for their own automatic newsletters on my website at www.arlisfeser.com .  Right under my picture it says “email updates” where they can click on that and sign up.  Simple as that .  Thank you for spreading the love!

Arlis Feser, Msc.D.
Qigong for Health
19413 Judson Circle
Hutchinson, MN  55350
(320) 587-9879
www.arlisfeser.com
arlis@arlisfeser.com