I was at lunch today with a wonderful young family with 4 children under 7, one girl, three boys, one man, a loving father, and one woman, a devoted mother. It is not my usual experience to eat out with 4 children and so I gained a brief insight into families and restaurants, both staff and customers. Everyone responded well.
In-between, I overheard the people at the next table discussing Lent. One woman was apparently so eager for Ash Wednesday that she thought it was today (skip "Fat" Tuesday, what was she thinking?). Her table companions quickly corrected her. I found the mention of Lent in a public place encouraging and the notion of being anxious for its arrival to be thought provoking.I wonder how many of us find ourselves looking forward to Wednesday and the following FORTY days. That is the reason for the title, "40 Days of Grace."
I wonder if we look forward to grace. Don't we rather consider what we have to give up, how difficult it might be and how long we can last? But it's really all about GRACE, the gift of God's life. The "giving up," any sacrifice we have to make is simply a way to prepare to receive it. But like all preparation, it is less important than the thing prepared for. Grace is important, in fact it is essential. Anything we may do to prepare a place for that gift matters little in comparison.
I think it makes a lot of difference where we place the emphasis. If it is on my sacrifice, what I have to lose,it becomes something to be dreaded. The emphasis in the next 6 weeks must be on what we have to gain. Grace.
The woman at the next table knows she has two more days to wait. No doubt she is thankful for that. I hope that she, and we, are also thankful for the season of grace about to begin.
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