I Failed Lent! Time to Begin Again

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Begin-AgainLou Holtz, the 75-year-old Catholic husband and father, ESPN analyst, and former head football coach for the University of Notre Dame is well-known for his pithy comments. Here’s one.

If it won’t bother you on your deathbed, it shouldn’t bother you now.

A solid piece of advice, isn’t it? But are you, like me, holding onto things that won’t bother us one bit as we lay dying?

A couple of years ago on Ash Wednesday, I wrote a post about Lent, how it’s the season of renewal and conversion, a time for great cleansing. Ironically, this past Lent was anything but a renewing time for me. “I Failed Lent!” is an appropriate and accurate assessment of how I feel about my 2013 Lenten spiritual journey.

I’m not sure how it all happened other than to simply say Joel and I are dealing with some stuff … scratch that … I am dealing with some stuff that in reality won’t bother me one bit as I lay dying. Yet I opened that door and allowed that stuff to consume my time and emotional energy for the past six weeks. I allowed the insignificant to truly get in the way of a much-needed cleansing this Lent. 

I’ve shared the following story before, and I must share it again if only to remind myself.

After St. Teresa of Avila participated in the sacrament of reconciliation, she would stand outside the confessional and wait for all the sisters in her convent to also finish their individual confessions. And as the sisters came out, she would greet each one, put her hands on their shoulders, look them in the eye and say, “Begin again. Begin again!”

The reality of the resurrection is that every day is an opportunity to begin again. The resurrection IS the reality of the Father’s love, the reality of mercy and having a chance to start over, the reality that we have a choice — an opportunity — to being again and conform to Jesus and leave our past behind. 

Come, Holy Spirit of God, from the four corners of the earth and rush upon my life. Help me to understand, as only You can, the reality of the resurrection and what it is we’re truly celebrating this Easter Season. Help me to be filled with the One who is true life and joy. Help me to continually begin again.

This post, Begin Again, serves as “letter-b” in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Read all posts in this series here.

9 Comments

  3. Thanks for your honesty in this post. It’s good to know that I’m not the only one to “fail Lent”. Unfortunately, in the last few years it seems that I’ve failed more than I’ve passed! But, as you said, it’s time to Begin Again!

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    • Thanks, Laura! I appreciate you stopping by and your honesty, too. It’s comforting to know I’m not alone and a good reminder that we need to support one another spiritually. Here’s to Beginning Again!

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  4. I greatly appreciate your candor. I, too, failed to live up to my expectations this Lenten season. I, too, am “beginning again” today, tomorrow, and every day!

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