For the most part, I find that people think of the season of  Lent as a "four letter word", which, of course it is, but you know what I mean.  As a child, I really dreaded Lent because it meant that I had to eat fish (which I hate), I had to "give up" something, I had to cut back o­n sweets (sugar withdrawal is a terrible thing) and it meant the appearance of the famous Lenten pastry, "hot cross buns", which, although they look pretty good from the outside, they are filled with disgusting little chunks of fossilized fruit....just a reminder, I suppose, that Lent is not supposed to filled with tasty treats. 

Over the years, however, I have grown into a deep appreciation for the season of Lent (although I still hate fish and think that hot cross buns are a mean trick).  In fact, I would have to say that I like Lent and actually look forward to the season each year.  And because I know that many, if not most, people have somewhat negative feelings about Lent, I like to wish people a "Happy Lent" just to give a little nudge away from the negative stereotype of Lent and to get them thinking about the positives of the season. 

Most people laugh at the greeting presuming that I am stating a humorous oxymoron.  Some people glare and mutter, "Your're sick."  But some know what I mean, smile, nod their heads and say, "Thanks.  Happy Lent to you".  Some people know that this greeting is more than just a mild attempt at humor and that there is something more to Lent than forty days of dreary deprivation.

Lent is a season of reflection, re-evaluation, repentance and reconciliation.  Lent is a time of profound Grace and we are invited to let that Grace sink in, take root and change us.  Through our observance of these days by listening to the Scripture from the Lenten liturgies and by participating in the traditional practices of the Church, we are invited, in this holy season, to be stripped down and cleansed from all the obstacles that keep us from seeing our true selves clearly; stripped down so that we may come to understand more powerfully the Love of God who embraces all of who we are. 

     There are many ways to enter into the spirit of the season and to "observe" these days.  It is not so important what we do as it is important that we do something to make these days different from all the rest.  o­ne great way to enter into this season is by following the traditional practices of the Church which are: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  What is great about these practices is that they give us a way to enter into this season of healing with body and soul; physically and spiritually.

Almsgiving, which is more than just giving away money but also giving of our time through serving the needs of those around us, is a practice which courages us to let go of things (money, possessions, our valuable time) which may have taken o­n too high a priority in our lives. 

Almsgiving encourages us to strip away those "things" which can cause us to be separated from o­ne another.  It also challenges us to take a serious look at distinguishing between what we need and what we want. In the same spirit of examining our needs and wants, fasting, which is a practice of rearranging our eating habits either by cutting down o­n consumption or by abstaining all together, helps us to be reminded of our need for God to fill us.  Fasting allows us to feel physically the o­ngoing spiritual needs of the soul and can help us to feel the truth that o­nly God can truly satisfy our deepest longings. Almsgiving and fasting help us to do, to feel, to tangibly experience the season of Lent. 

Prayer is the other traditional practice in the Church, and through prayer we are able to experience Lent o­n a spiritual level. Prayer slows us down, allows us to be focused, and enables us to be stripped away from our obsession with this world and moves us to a higher consciousness.  Prayer allows us to "see" our life and our works with the eyes of faith that opens the heart to seeing God in the midst of it all.