Lenten Reflections, Part II

At first glance, Lent doesn't really seem too glorious, does it?  In fact, it seems pretty much the opposite -- dark, dreary, forbidding.  So why do we sing songs like "The Glory of these Forty Days"?  It's a season of self-denial, of discipline, of penance and of turning away from sin.  It's sort of like menial spiritual labor -- scrubbing floors, taking out the trash, you know, that kind of thing.  Nothing glorious about it, right?  (Of course there is...I wouldn't be setting it up like this otherwise, would I?)  In fact, I see two ways in which Lent is a truly glorious season.  First, the work of Lent is the work of our own participation in our salvation.  We are incapable of saving ourselves -- such a feat can only be accomplished by the One Who is infinitely greater than any and all sin.  But one of His many gifts to us (although sometimes it doesn't seem like much of a gift, does it?) is the ability to cooperate with His grace, to allow ourselves to be drawn nearer to Him.  The "menial labor" isn't menial at all -- rather, it one of the ways in which God allows us to give ourselves to Him, to offer our lives to His will in all its perfection.  Why else is Lent glorious?  Because it is directed toward the Cross -- and the empty tomb.  Lent is the road along which we travel to the mysteries that are the cornerstone of our faith -- the death of the Son and His Resurrection.  It is glorious because it points beyond itself to the very source of our salvation.  Pretty tough to be more glorious than that.

Anyway, that's my reflection for tonight.  Family medicine is ok, although I'm less than pleased with the administration of the clerkship (the clinical side out in Altoona is actually pretty good -- better than I expected), but that's another story.  I was also hoping to have stories from my Stat MedEvac helo ride today, but the weather didn't cooperate, the bird was grounded, and I got to see lots of low acuity uninteresting patients instead.  Oh well.  Hopefully I'll get to go up before the clerkship ends.

Guess that's all for now.  Hope everyone is doing well; if you're looking for prayer intentions, I have a couple of special intentions that could definitely use some reinforcement (ask if you want more details).  Till next time, peace and God bless!