Lent: Letting go of needless suffering

I have written about legitimate suffering and needless suffering before, but the importance of it keeps coming up for me. The concept is basic to every major religion, but the quote that makes sense for me is from Sheldon Kopp: “Life can be counted on to provide all the pain that any of us might […]

Lent: Getting beyond preconceived ideas

Judy and I are currently hooked on one of those Netflix series that each time we watch it, we say, “Maybe we shouldn’t be watching this.” It’s violent and generally depraved, but oh, so addictive. The main evil character in the story is a ruthless, self-serving person who appears to have no conscience and no […]

Lent: Getting beyond being comfortable

Jesus grew in spiritual maturity the same way we do; through experience, exploration, doubting, questioning, disappointment, all the ways we learn. Jesus spent his boyhood like every other boy in his town. He went to the temple to learn from the rabbis about Jewish history and legend and law, all from the books of law, […]

Lent: We are in good company

When we set aside 40 days for self-reflection, we are in good company. Jesus did that. The scripture traditionally used for the first Sunday of Lent describes the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Biblical literalists would have us believe that Jesus encountered a physical Satan, was taken up to the pinnacle of a […]

Lent: Recognizing pettiness

I agree with Richard Rohr, one of my favorite theologians, who wrote, “Christians are usually sincere and well-intentioned people until you get to any real issues of ego, control, power, money, pleasure, and security. Then the tend to be pretty much like everybody else.” Ouch. I think he’s talking about me. I consider myself a […]

Lent: Examining what doesn’t fit

I have some old t-shirts in a box under my bed. Several of those shirts are for running 10K races back in the 80s. Some I bought at memorable concerts. Others declare my membership with some group from years gone by. All are waaaay too small now. What I once wore with pride and pleasure […]

Lent: Identifying self-distortions

Today is the first Sunday of Lent. The season of Lent began last week with Ash Wednesday and continues for the next 6 weeks. One of many words I have heard to describe this season is “Self-reflection.” I take this to mean this is a time to look at ourselves, not in a self-serving or […]