Ash Wednesday, Lent, and Easter

The following blog is kind of all over the place. IT may get edited later….

Well just writing about Super “Fat” Tuesday, I thought I would follow up with Ash Wednesday. If people don’t remember what you did on that day and you live in the same metropolitan area as me, you probably spent your time in the car watching traffic truly go at a snail pace unless you were on the highway where you drove with pure white knuckles. My guess is many people did not make the Holy Day of obligation due to the weather. Of course on the other side, many people would not have made it if conditions would have been ideal for young and old alike. As for me, I will tell you I have been a Catholic all my life and attend mass pretty consistently. Despite that, I have NEVER been to church on Ash Wednesday. I am not sure why other than plenty of things got in the way of doing so and… oh well life goes on. I do make it to church about every other week.

For those who do not know, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent which is the period before Easter Sunday when Christians believe Jesus Christ rises from the dead. Most people use Lent to give up something or do something extra. Lent to Catholics is kind of like New Year’s resolutions but seems to have slightly more staying power. I have done a myriad of things for Lent. The past year or two, I have no done anything because I have become disenfranchised with the local Archdiocese. While most people do not attend church because they disagree with the teachings and standards, this was not my issue. It had to with some decisions that had taken place. I will leave it at that for right now. That is another ten blogs by itself. Do I agree with everything the Roman Catholic Church preaches to their people? Let’s put it this way – I don’t believe it is in my genes to agree with any person or organization 100%. Does the Catholic Church have its flaws? Absolutely! Do churches in general make me scratch your head? Sure – especially the ones that when you drive by they look like auto assembly plants more than churches due to their size. I have zero desire to join any religious place that would probably require some of your direct deposit to be sent to them. I may one day get started on non-denominational churches but that will be for another time.

I am not sure what I am getting at in this entry. I do know eventually I want to get back to going full time. I do know as I get older it will be important that if I end up getting married and having a family, I would like my children to be raised in the Catholic Church or something along those lines. I think in the end – like anything in this world – you will get what you want out of things if you put the time in and this is no different with church.

OF course the question I am sure those who are “Spiritual but not Religious” would argue that you don’t need to go to church to be close to God. I do agree with that but will tell you the reason to go to church is the ability to share your faith with other people. That in the end is the principle reason I hope to get my family involved because religion is so much easier to understand when you have to share with other people.

I guess the blog is coming kind of full circle. I will be using time during Lent to do some thinking. In the end the one conclusion I want to leave with is how to best share with people. Maybe it is in the church and maybe it is not but regardless some sharing needs to begin from here on out.