Mardi Gras

Hard to believe that the season of Lent is fast approaching. Back in the days of parochial school we spent Mardi Gras thinking of what to give up for Lent. I was always eager to give up vegetables, mom's corned beef and cabbage, and eating fish on Fridays. The good sisters pointed out in a very direct way that my understanding of Lenten sacrifice needed tweaking. Most kids gave up sweets and television but my parents did not seem really concerned about what, if anything, we gave up for Lent. Why was this? Because things were added rather than taken away - things like more chores, more time at Church, more time with extended family. This was way more difficult than simply giving something up. And besides, we never had very many sweets around the house anyway, and my father pretty much controlled what was on the television and it was never anything I wanted to watch. Yet, spending Lent in this way changed us in ways that lasted a lifetime, not just a season. The chores that were added brought fun along with them as we did things as a family - even squabbling about who had to do more was kind of fun. To this day my siblings and I reminisce about our shortcuts in doing chores and my personal favorite shortcut which I call "Irish dusting". Even attending weekday Mass during Lent in the evening provided an opportunity for a free family night out - when money is limited a night out is a night out! Yet the car rides to Mass during those late winter and early spring evenings wrapped us together in loving family moments. I think getting out during those evenings was especially nice for my mom who did not drive and was home alone all day while we were at school. Lent always provided us with what we needed to face our Good Fridays and celebrate our Easter Sundays, not through the ritual of giving up meaningless items of pleasure, but through time honored family traditions that transcended the ordinariness of daily life into daily life celebrations. I pray that Lent once again allows me the opportunity to transcend the ordinariness of my daily life into an appreciation of the daily miracles at hand, and that I spend this time facing my Good Fridays and celebrating my Easter Sundays!