metanoia

Let's for a moment have a little chat about Lent and what it means... (at least I hope I can understand it clearly enough to practice well myself, and transmit some good ideas here).

In doing some reading, I discovered that during this season the Church calls us to "metanoia" speaks to a change of heart. We're called to look at ourselves and seek a change of heart and mind, changing how we see things and think about the world. To me, in my recovery-based world, I see the season of Lent and a time for an in-depth inventory. It's 4th Step season! It's the time of year I spend more focussed on where I am, who I am and where I need to be. I look at how I am living and compare that to how I understand God's plan for me. Am I living up to my baptismal promises? Am I doing the things God wants me to do? Am I following the teachings of Jesus? Am I doing something meaningful with this amazing gift of sobriety?

Part of the process is the giving up of something I really enjoy that probably isn't so good for me. But, that to me, is only a bare beginning of the process. That just simply enables me to feel a little bit like I am suffering, that I might be reminded of how Jesus suffered for my sake. There's just so much more. I feel like Lent is sort of an annual overhaul, a time of reflection, action on cleansing myself in preparation for the most important celebration of the year, Easter. At Easter, I wish to be reborn anew in the sunlight of the Spirit, in full Communion with my risen Lord. In order to celebrate Easter to this depth, I need to prepare, to improve, to be cleansed and living the way God wants me to.

Having said all this, does this mean that I am free to live awfully during the rest of the year and never take a look at myself and disregard all things sacred, spiritual? Well no lol. This time fo year, in advance of the celebration of Easter is a an especially focussed, reflective look at growing closer to the Lord. And I love that it really seems quite nicely to dovetail into the 12 Steps of AA.

This fact reminds me that AA is a Divinely given program, no doubt in my mind, that I am meant to be sober. My God needs me to be sober in order to carry out my mission.

So to that end, may you all consider a deeper practice of metanoia this Lenten season,a nd may it bring you all closer to God's Will for you and clsoer to God.

peace to you all!

(oh yeah, I think that Ice Cream and fast food are on the list of things to give up during Lent... If you REALLY wanna get serious about Lent and giving something up, harken back to the Penitential practices during Lent and give up something that seperates you from God or simply put, give up something sinful. NOW, we're talking!)