It’s TinFoil Time Again!

Tags

Barack Obama, bible, church, conservatives, CPAC, economy, faith, filthy rich, gay rights, God, GOP, greed, homophobia, Jesus, Joe the Plumber, John Bolton, Michael Steele, religion, right wing, Wall Street

Okay, so, it’s Friday, and the end of another week. I’m in the process of making Arroz con Pollo for dinner. It’s a bit detailed and fussy, but we are looking forward to it. I’ll tell you how it turned out and give you a recipe if it’s really good.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, here’s the fabulous finds I made today. Hope you find something of interest:

Drop by The Wild Reed, and read his take on homophobia in the hip-hop industry.  While I’m a bit too old for the scene myself, Michael shows how bashing gays seems to be quite prevalent in the genre, and guess what? lots of them folks is secretly gay. But of course you knew that.

It’s a fascinating look at the world of machismo turned upside down. I think you will like it. And we all need to keep informed don’t we?

~~~

Tim at Straight-Friendly has a lovely reflection on getting closer to God. That is the point of Lent in some sense isn’t it? His analogy that he learned form his mother ( a most wise woman for sure) makes the point directly and clearly. Tim’s work is always worth reading, but some are little  masterpieces. Don’t miss this one!

~~~

Ya gotta laugh. They don’t get it. They just don’t get it. Like I said yesterday, the filthy rich DON’T GET IT. Watergate Summer reports that Bank of America head honcho, Ken Lewis, arrived in Washington to answer for the bonuses paid with our money, in you guessed it—HIS PERSONAL JET. Yep, uhuh. I say make ’em walk the plank, get in the stocks, and hoist their hinny to the seat in the dunk tank.

~~~

The gift that keeps on giving, is, well giving again. Appearing at the CPAC meeting, Joe Wurzelbacher, AKA “The Plumber” is telling us that he would slap and probably shoot a few congress folks if he were there. And glory be, reporters have no business in war zones, uh reporting. What Joe was doing in Israel a few weeks ago, well, I guess we can probably all agree, that was NOT reporting.

I can only bet that McCain and Palin are so very proud of their offspring. He’s turning out to be a wonderful spokesperson for the Rethugs. Yes, keep it coming Joe. We have those mid-terms to look forward to in 2012.

~~~

Speaking of CPAC, I swear you cannot make this stuff up. We have all been watching the strange duck Michael Steele has been turning into with all his hip hop references and the party being “off the hook.” Well, it’s spreading. CPAC moderator Michelle Bachmann got to introduce the new GOP head, and the Minnesota Rep, did so in fine style: “You be da man! You be da man!” I means really, this is getting embarrassing. Do the wingnuts now in control of the Rethugs actually think they will get black and young votes this way? I mean seriously? I mean, oh, hell, it’s too funny. I hope they keep this up. This is like watching episodes of  “world’s worst wrecks.” Popcorn anyone?

~~~

All roads seem to lead to the CPAC meeting today folks. I can’t help it, they are just generating the fun these days. John Bolton, in the top ten running for world’s biggest idiot, gave his speech to the wonk heads of the GOP. In it, he talked about a nuclear explosion via terrorism coming to of all places Chicago. He got wild applause.

These are some sick puppies. All one can do is shake one’s head and remember that this is the price of freedom. We gotta let sludge like this have microphones.

~~~

Tip of the day: The louder the GOP squeals, the better job Obama is doing. The decibel level has reached the painful point, and I can only conclude that things are going well.

Long term prediction: If there is recovery in the economy that is in any way tangible by the end of the year, Obama can do about anything he wants. Voters will put pressure on Congress to vote through his legislative agenda.

~~~

The weekend friends will be thin. I’m off to a six hour Lenten retreat at Church tomorrow, and of course the usual stuff on Sunday with an extra meeting on the church library added. I’ll post a little something if I have time. Enjoy, and welcome that Spring!

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It’s Called Filthy for a Reason!

Tags

class, Jim Calhoun, poor, poverty, sociology, wealthy, wretched excess

It’s just plain weird how blog posts come about. You hear or read something one day, and a line sticks with you, and then another totally different thing occurs a day or so later. They are not connected, neither is that interesting in and of itself, yet somehow, together they raise an issue you feel worth talking about, and away you go, starting to write in your head all morning while mopping the floor and wiping down counter tops.

At least that’s the way it works with me.

Here’s what happened:

I was, as usual happily sipping my coffee this morning, when I heard about this out of Connecticut. It seems that Coach Jim Calhoun’s unseemly response to a reporters question has sparked a bit of controversy. He was asked, that given the one billion deficit in Connecticut and that other state workers are being asked to take pay cuts, might he think his 1.6 million dollar salary a bit much. He said he wouldn’t return a single penny period, and that the best think the reporter could do was to shut up.

That was coupled by a remark a woman made on forum about excessive greed on the part of business CEO’s. “Why are some people so class envious?”

Well, let me clear my throat and begin.

First of all I thank the woman for stating the truth in one respect. We are a class society in America. Many of course deny this, but it’s true and we all know it. While most in the middle class probably don’t look down in disdain at the average working class person, the mega wealthy generally do. And we all recall easily the snickering we do about the “hill people,”  “the rednecks,” and the “trailer trash.”

The common denominator isn’t just wealth of course. We tend to include education in all that as well. And to be sure, there is some actual truth to it. Education is important. You can sound and be dumb when you don’t know the facts. But I dare say there are some very poorly formally educated out there who could argue rings around me. They are self-taught and widely read.

I learned long ago however that formal education was no necessary barometer of intelligence. I learned that in law school and later in practicing law. I knew some God-awful stupid lawyers. It took about three seconds for me to figure out that that meant there were some damn stupid doctors practicing medicine, some bad accountants and stockbrokers, dentists, and on and on.

I figure most folks know this.

Please do not get me wrong. I don’t have a problem with being rich. I figure there are three kinds of rich. The rich who just want with all their heart to be wealthy, and work night and day to get it. They deserve it. I’m not going to work that hard, and never wanted to. The second is a group that sincerely love what they do, spend the hours at it because they love it, and incidentally become wealthy. They are entitled to it as well. The third, they inherit it. They’ve never known any different. I don’t deny them the right to live the good life either.

All can be susceptible to excess however. The unbridled use of wealth to buy anything and everything for no reason than because one can. The $6,000 umbrella stand, the 7th house, the imported marble and plated gold faucets. This is the excess I mean. Crap for the pure desire to own. To show it off. Parties that cost $3 million dollars. The list is long and shocking.

There enters into this a sense of entitlement. These folks don’t stand in lines or wait ever. They get all kinds of things for free just because they have chosen to patronize a business. The people who need it the least, get it for free. Go figure.

I don’t mind as I said one living well. I don’t mind having a home or even a second that has within it all the rooms and accommodations that make your preciously small leisure time enjoyable and usable. I don’t mind the indoor pool, or the game room, or the home theater. I mind having seven homes so equipped, some of which you may visit less than two weeks a year if that. I do mind as I said, the need to spend tens of thousands on simple implements that I can get for $14.95 at Walmart. I can see the rich spending maybe $50, but $6,000? When there is a kid on the planet who is dying of hunger?

How do you live with yourself?

Don’t tell me you give a lot to charity. So does Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Nobody is much accusing them of living high on the hog like this. They live well, no doubt, but they don’t live extravagantly.

It’s not whining and its not envy. I’ve lived well in my life. I’ve taken home two grand  a month, and that was back in the eighties and my monthly expenses were around $800. I lived well, and pretty much bought what I wanted. And I can surely tell you I live with much less today, and I’m happier than I was then. Is money the decisive fact in my happiness? No. It didn’t bring me happiness I can say that. Would I like a bit more today? Sure, but I don’t need it, am not the least interested in working for it, and thus don’t envy those who have more.

I just recognize that being filthy rich is, well, filthy. It apparently makes you oblivious to real pain in the world, other than going to very lavish “charity” events and having a lot of fun, eating great food, and drinking expensive booze. That is worth dropping a few hundred grand a few times a year. That appears to salve the soul of the filthy rich. It shouldn’t of course.

But if you couple that with an attitude that I deserve what I have AND they deserve what they don’t have, we got a problem. Because  if you, Mr and Mrs garishly wealthy think that, you are just kidding yourself. Telling yourself that the poor are that way because they unfortunately aren’t smart and aren’t willing to work hard. That allows you to feel it’s okay to throw a little charity all the while looking past the guy who parks your car, dropping the keys, trusting that his hand will be there to catch them.

It allows you to do that all day long. Looking past all the people who serve you for pennies. Never seeing their faces, never looking into their eyes. Trusting that the chair will be there when you bend you skinny ass to sit, the door opened by the faceless doorman, and even someone to catch your coat as you fling it off your shoulders.

This is the unbridled ostentation that we object to. It’s not the money, it’s the attitude. That is why Jim Calhoun was and remains wrong. It ain’t his paycheck, it’s the freaking arrogance that makes people like him oblivious to real people.

Calhoun is a symptom, and not a particularly good one. If you look at the actualities of his situation, he probably deserves his money. He brings eight times that into the UofC in revenue. The better examples are the nut cases on Wall Street who pay themselves and others lavishly for failure and corporate CEO’s who come a beggin’ at the public trough via their private jets.

So, Calhoun, get some class, and filthy rich remember, you aren’t cheating death, and nobody is calling your shit room freshener.

Knee Deep in History

Tags

Barack Obama, Bobby Jindal, Democrats, economy, education, GOP, Health care, Speech to Congress

We watched the President’s speech last night. It is inescapable to me, at least at some moments, that I may well be witnessing one of the great presidents of our history. Of course it is too soon to know that in any meaningful way, yet, at times, I am simply in awe of the brilliance and extraordinary abilities of this man.

Last night was one of those occasions certainly. The command of information and the skill in expounding upon it cannot be denied. Of course much depends on the success of the economic plans set forth. If the economy shows signs of recovery within a year, then I think Obama can expect that his agenda in all arenas will go forth with approval.

His delivery was as usual flawless, and the speech was well crafted. There were a ton of remarks that were met enthusiastically with applause and shouts, and quite a few that were tailored in a fashion that the Republicans were forced to get up and clap too. On one occasion you could see Mitch McConnell actually leaning over and whispering to a colleague before standing reluctantly and giving some perfunctory applause. “It will just suck to see this in an electioneering ad, me sitting down glumly while everyone is cheering for eradicating disease among children. I gotta stand up much as I hate it.” Oh hate it they did, but they stood and limply clapped. It was genius in the way only Obama can do.

This of course scares Republicans to no end. It terrifies the reactionary right fringe who liken Obama to Satan himself. We, those who voted for him and continue to support him, are “followers” and his appeal is designated as cultish in origin. Most of this of course is mere rhetoric and meaningless, but frighteningly, some scrambled brained people actually believe this. If you don’t believe me, the try to get a look at the piece from The Daily Show last night, where two individuals made conflicting claims about him. One was featured on Hannity, so you know they are legit.

One, a white man claimed that Obama fits the description of the anti-Christ. The other claims he is the spittin’ image of Hitler. Laughable, but ye god’s some demented sorts really do believe this. Of course they believe the second coming will be any day now, and most have been espousing THAT for the last 30 or more years too. The new target date after 2000 proved to be a wash, is 2012 I’m told.

Although I am loathe to give any advertising for Foxy Noise, one has to drop by on evenings such as this just to see what’s going on there. I’m reasonably convinced that each of the usuals, especially Fred Barnes, Brit Hume, Charles Krauthammer, and super neo con Billy Kristol has barf pails next to their chairs, so upsetting are the Democrats to them.

In any case, only the middle two were on last night. Now, you must catch these fools, for you will be rewarded with gales of genuine laughter. First you have to get through Hume’s pouty rendition of how it ain’t fair. “It isn’t at all fair,” he moans, looking over his reading glasses. “Obama gets to give a speech in the House chamber, that beautifully decorated awe inspiring backdrop. Then of course, he has a captive audience of hundreds. Then of course one has to admit, he is a great orator, whatever you might think of the substance.”

Then we get to Hume’s real assessment of Bobby boy Jindal’s “Republican response.” “Um,” says our Brit, “given the terribly unfair playing field, and that Bobby stood in front of a dais and talked to a camera with no audience, well, Bobby was um, well awful, not his best night.” The others, being Krauthammer (Katzenjammer kid to me), nods solemnly, “Yes, who could compete with all that Obama had going for him, but no, Bobby just didn’t do well.”

I mean I was close to running off to tinkle in the toitoi before I wet myself. It was that funny.

That Bobby didn’t do well is an understatement. He plainly sucked big time. First he started out with a rambling and totally “so what” story about his earliest days. You see his parents came to this country before he was born. He was as he put it “a pre-existing condition.” Why he used that to say that his mother was pregnant with him I don’t know, but he then moved on. His dad got a job and set up a payment plan with the hospital where he was delivered. His dad paid each installment faithfully.

Thank God, Dad paid the bills, and Bobby was born. Apparently in Louisiana, hospitals can prevent births for deadbeat users of their services if they don’t pay up on time. At least I guess that his was his point, but one can’t be sure. He never tied it to anything.

Mostly he talked in a strange cadence that was akin to a elementary teacher explaining how to add two oranges and three apples to seven year olds. Mostly it seemed that he had not read Obama’s speech at all. He warned of the taxes that everyone would have to cough up to pay for the stimulus bill. I guess since “read my lips” was a lie, they figure all such pronouncements are lies.

If Bobby is the answer to Republican prayers to avoid the great Northern Palin attack, then I say, well done! He’s nearly as bad as her and a welcome opponent. All in all, a most wonderful night. I think the country is reassured, Democrats are energized and increasingly confident,  Republicans are washing the accidents out of their shorts today, and all’s right with the world.

Oh No He Dint….!!!!

Tags

bailout, Barack Obama, bipartisanship, Democrats, economy, gay rights, George Bush, GOP, John McCain, Michael Steele, mortgage crisis, Republican Right, Sean Penn

You probably heard this. Seems that some hardware store down Texas way offered Chimpy a job as a greeter. Said little out of work imp went to the joint, and while not taking the job, certainly brought laughter around by his appearance.

My first reaction was: Dude, finally a job you are qualified for! And my second thought was, damn the guy really is struggling to stay in the news!

~~~

So far the Rethuglican plan is not going so well. I saw today on the crawl of GMA that Obama is getting about 68% support overall, and a nice 73% think he is reaching out to Repubicoots. Only a measly 34% think the Big Elephant is reaching out to the Democratic site of the aisle.

Their plan is to oppose and oppose and hope that our financial woes continue and presumably get worse. Apparently they have concluded that this is their only hope of getting any voter support.  So far citizens seem to be unimpressed.

As long as the Limbaugh/Coulter/Hannity/O’Reilly/Jindal/Robertson/ Palin crowd is calling the shots, I think they are doomed. The saner heads seem to have all gone to basement, which the above named have gone to the mattresses. I’m rooting that the wingnut types maintain control. Root against America! That’s the way to win the voter’s hearts.

~~~

You know my views on Johnny McCain. They ain’t good. He ran a filthy campaign, one of fear and innuendo. He thought the electorate stupid enough to buy into any woman will do in picking Sarah, I can see Russia from my window, Palin.

Given that Obama was amazingly gracious to him, I thought his shame would cause him to actually look for chances to support the President.

I was wrong. McCain remains the rather dull mental duck he always was, and one consumed by the desire for power, and willing to trash anyone to get what he wants. Obama, at a gathering on fiscal responsibility at the White House yesterday, called on Mr. McCain first.  Mr. McShame, immediately tried to trash the President about the helicopter coming his way, ordered by Bush before leaving office.

President Obama, agreed, he thought the one he had was most fine, and suggested perhaps he had been too deprived to realize he needed another. He said he had told Defense Secretary Gates to look into the matter.  Took the wind right out of McCain’s sails and made him look the small petty human he truly is. Obama is a genius at this stuff. Perhaps McCain will learn this is one arena he cannot compete in.

~~~

Oh and thanks to the business first Republicans fanning the flames that any mortgage bailout is just rewarding bad behavior. Call me stupid, but I have bought a couple of houses. I had no particular basis for determining what I could afford, so I assumed the banks would be the experts there. I relied on them.

In any event, we are seeing all kinds of folks “mad” because they have planned better and are paying their mortgages. More of the same  divide and take sides kinda crap. Don’t these people realize that if we can stop the mortgage melt down, we can stabilize home value and THEIR homes will remain or increase in value once again? Think people before jumping on the reactionary right bandwagon.

~~~

And Congrats all to Michael Steele, the new “face” of the Rethugs. Kindlier and darker!? Well, not so much it seems.

Right winger, Mike Gallagher, on his radio show was doing the usual panning of Sean Penn and his win for “Milk”. Guest Steele, when asked whether his party might consider supporting  civil unions, replied, “No, no no, . . . . are you crazy?”

Yes, you guys just continue to play up to that teeny little base you have. Yeah, that’s the ticket.  Can anyone say. . . . oh should we?. . . . uncle Tom Steele?

And the Oscar Goes To. . . .

Tags

fashion, Harvey Milk, Meryl Streep, Oscars, Sean Penn, Sophia Loren

Okay, I admit it. We watched the Oscars. The Contrarian gives in on this nonsense, because he exacts a price for it.

He tends to make me sit through some God-awful movie staring either John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart to even the scales again.

Actually, I thought this years was superb. Really I do. Hugh Jackman was great, the set was gorgeous and I thought they added some stuff that really classed it up. In highlighting each film nominated for best picture, they added film clips of similar issues from other movies, which made them all quite interesting.

Moreover for the big 4 nominations, they brought in five or so past winners, each giving a tribute to one nominee. That way they all got some serious recognition even though only one would win.

Most of the dresses were truly lovely, only a couple I thought were rather inelegant. Meryl Streep’s was dowdy I thought. Sophia Loren’s dated and what was that bit with the hand on the hip?

All of the winners were predicted well in advance. The only surprise was best actor. Mickey Rourke was considered to be pretty much a lock. But it went to Sean Penn. I’m told “Milk” is extraordinary. Best line was from DeNiro: “Sean how did you do all those straight roles so well?” Or something to that effect.

The wacko right will be screaming. The Contrarian is scanning Foxy Noise to see what their reaction is to the ungodly liberal socialistic secular beasts using the Oscars for a forum for their agenda. Ya know that is how they will play it.

I had no particular favorite on any of them, but I must say, as nice as it would have been for Rourke, I was thrilled that Sean Penn won. Thrilled that once again, we can proudly proclaim that in America it is high time to stop this ugly treatment of the “others” we continue to manufacture.

The fact is, properly understood, there is no true biblical admonition against homosexuality, and it’s time to remove that erroneous crutch from the evangelical right. Penn had it right when he suggested it was high time that the Right fear the sad shame in the eyes of their grandchildren for holding such mean and ugly views based on some wished for interpretation they cling to in their desperation to be “better” than somebody.

I haven’t seen a single movie that was honored. I’m sure in time I will see most of them. I’m glad Slumdog Millionaire won best picture, because those kids in Mumbai need to feel that sense of pride. They need to feel the honor. They need to know they matter.

I don’t know anything about Penelope Cruz’s picture. Meryl Streep will still go down as perhaps histories greatest actress. Certainly of our time. I felt bad for the rest. They all seemed worthy of winning.

The Jolie/Pitt team didn’t win. But they remain America’s Cinderella couple if you get into that kind of thing. I don’t. I had even failed to realize that Jennifer Aniston stood mere feet from them as she made her presentation. I presume lots of people were looking for something in that. I was blithely unaware.

I’m glad Robin Roberts picked the orange/peachy dress. It really was the best of the three. No, before you ask, I didn’t vote! I’m not THAT weird. Okay, I admit, I did enter votes for one Dancing with the Stars couple but that’s all! Really. Honestly. Cross my heart and hope to die.

Hey, in three weeks, we will be calling the hoops in March Madness! Only a week until Spring!

Tackling the Interior Me

Tags

God, Jesus, Lent

If you see a guy with long hair and flowing robes, running by your home,  pulling along a panting white middle aged lady, that would be Jesus and me. Just so ya know.

The reason is quite simple. In my very best Jackie Gleason voice: “I got a BIIIGGGGGG MOUUUUTHHHHH!”

You heard me. I said it the other day. I said that I was experiencing one of those high moments in my spiritual life. I figured Jesus was too busy to hear that, having to finish off marking the Oscar balloting and all, but no, he heard me. He tends to take me at my word.

So, it seems I’ve started off the Lenten season a bit earlier than I expected to.  You see, I think of Lent as a time of great interior reflection. I not only try to enter into my Lord’s passion but I try to figure out what is wrong with me, where I am wanting and in need of repair and improvement. Like I said, I expected to start that process in a couple more days, but I guess Jesus is no follower of calendars. We started Saturday.

Now that you are thoroughly panting to know what I’m talking about, I’ll set the stage. I have returned to THAT forum, you know the one I mean. The one that sucks your soul dry and spits you out bruised and wondering if you even know your name anymore. Black becomes white, and so forth there. It’s a big black hole of anger and lousy theology.

The reasons were simple. I got bored one day. I used to be a big user of MIRC. For those of you who are unaware, that was the original “talk” medium on the internet. You downloaded a program, hooked into a server and ended up choosing from hundreds of “rooms.” Once in there, you could chat in real time with any number of people at once. There was public conversation and private. I really loved it, and frankly, met a ton of people in real life. The Contrarian and I even used it before we met in real life.

Anyway, I missed the immediacy of chat. The forum can approach that sometimes if you are both on at the same time. You can carry on a delayed conversation of sorts. I have met a number of really fine people there, despite the fact that most of it is frequented by reactionary numb skulls.

Also, I pick up some interesting readers for my blog. One guy there carries my web address and visits from time to time. I see that a fair number of others do as well. I’ve met a few Episcopalians too.

Anyway, a couple of threads had devolved as we say, into rather nasty remarks going each way. I was having a hard time being civil to people calling me a heretic for being a non-Roman Catholic, and to protesting that we Protestants had no right using creeds and such that they claimed were the exclusive property of their Church. Being told that you aren’t smart enough or haven’t studied enough to yet realize that there is only ONE church and it is theirs gets a bit old after a while.

I finally got a rather terse post from someone I respected. He pointed out that I had been hailed from the mud, and apparently decided to join in the dirty mess myself. I was in effect no better than they, though he conceded I was articulate, and had something valuable to say. He questioned my approach.

Well, I was crestfallen in a word. The wingnuttery types I just get angry with and dispute, but someone I respected? Talking to me this way? Well, it gave me pause. I began to think and the more I did, the more I realized that I couldn’t avoid the fact that he was right. I had succumbed to the swamp and joined. I was not representing Christendom any better than my attackers.

Yesterday, I went to Church. I recall as I do most every Sunday that Jesus seems so very close to me there. I frankly have not felt that way very often in any other church. Our Bishop was visiting and that always is a treat. He’s both articulate and funny. He gives a great sermon. We have a newly installed deacon, we had a great bible class, I was feeling pretty darn joyous.

I was thanking Jesus for leading me to this place, among so many new deeply spiritual people. And then I remembered, and I whispered, “Jesus, heal me from my arrogance and ego. Teach me to preach the truth as I know it with humility and kindness. I’m having a lot of trouble seeing your face in some that I meet.”

I returned home, and some time later, I got on the computer and went to see what was being said today. The person who had so correctly accused me, had left a message. He expressed sorrow at his words and said some very nice things. He encouraged me and gave me a couple of tips to make my posts less threatening in their sounding to those who feared my message.

I thanked him profusely, glad that our forum relationship seemed repaired. I answered a few posts directed at me in this new way he suggested. He happened to be around, and quoted part of one of my posts to me. “You see, the Holy Spirit, is already at work. Good job!”

And indeed, I believe that is true. I don’t have to play in the same mud pit. The fact is that some people will continue to overstate their church’s views no matter what you say. They will state as fact that we Protestants are all just pretenders, unaware that we offend God by our prayers and actions in our churches. I apologized to one woman, and made my points in a gentler way. She replied quite pleasantly. She ended by saying: “I hope your journey at the TEC is but temporary. I feel sure that the Holy Spirit will enlighten you soon and you will see that there can be but one true and holy church, and that you will return to it. ”

No doubt this women doesn’t have a clue how rude and unseemly her remarks are. Nor how prideful. Imagine telling billions of souls that they haven’t the knowledge which you have, and thus are deluded? But she means well, I suspect she really does.

And that is enough. Enough for me to smile gently, and back away. Thanking her for her thoughts as I chuckle to myself. It’s one step. And that is enough for God I warrant. One step, and then hopefully another. If I stumble, well, I know I have someone to catch me. And I’ll keep trying until  this more humble me becomes me, God willing.

If this is any indication. Lent will be a busy time for me this year. Blessings to you on your journey to the cross this year.

*** picture credit to http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com

Sharing with Jesus and Each Other

Tags

Ash Wednesday, ashes, Easter, fasting, Lent, penitence

As many of you know, Ash Wednesday is coming up, this Wednesday as a matter of fact.

It celebrates the beginning of the Lenten season,46 days before Easter.

In those faith traditions that formally observe it, the practice consists of the faithful receiving a cross of ashes on the forehead as a sign of repentance.  The ashes of course are the remains of the Palms from last years Palm Sunday service. The recipient allows the cross in ashes to remain on the forehead until the evening.

In some churches paper is distributed whereby the penitent writes down a sin. These are collected and burnt at the alter.

The practice is a sacramental not a sacrament, and thus all baptized Christians are entitled to partake regardless of denomination. In some communities such as the Roman Catholic and Anglican, it is also a day of fasting.

Non-Christians can best note the date by it being the day after Mardi Gras , Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday.

The practice of using ashes dates back to the Old Testament which is replete with the example of tossing ashes over one’s head as an indication of mourning or repentance. Some Christians take a more literal approach and find the practice pagan in origin and refuse to engage in it, citing Matthew 6: 16-18. They claim that Jesus specifically warned against public displays of fasting.

You may find more information at this Wikipedia site, here.

T.S. Eliot wrote a poem entitled: Ash-Wednesday upon his conversion to Anglicanism in 1927.

The reason I post today, rather than Wednesday itself, is that I, no doubt like many of the faithful are beginning to think of what penance we will do this Lenten season. It is customary in the Roman tradition, and I assume in the Anglican as well, to “give up” something for Lent.

This we do as a way of joining with Jesus in his suffering before the glorious resurrection at Easter. I have found that personally, I find it more meaningful to “add” rather than give up. One year, a priest at the church I was attending determined to say mass  and the stations of the cross at 6 am each day. I made all but one day, having had on one occasion to take my father to the hospital in the middle of the night. I found that season one of the most special of my life.

This year I have so far decided to add the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy to my devotional practice each day. I am still undecided about what else I might do.

I should add that next Saturday my church is having a day of silence in the desert. We are gathering for six hours of short talks and quiet time. I am very much looking forward to that as well. The church is also offering a Wednesday dinner and discussion and Sunday adult education discussion each week during the period. I’ll not be going in for the Wednesday evening dinners, but I will be attending the adult education classes on Lent.

So I thought I would ask you, what you have decided on this year.  Perhaps in our sharing we can give each other some ideas, and in the end, make the period more meaningful for us all.