This time of year I listen to people talk about what they are giving up for Lent. I have never followed this ritual. In fact, I had never heard of it until my teen years. At that time, I thought it was a stupid thing to do. What was the point of giving up something you like forever? I had no idea what the tradition was about or even that it was a religious tradition. Of course, I know better now.
Today I was thinking about the sacrifices that I hear people are making. No one ever talks about that and I wonder if these good people understand the seriousness of their commitment. What is the purpose, the event, that these rote offerings supposedly honor?
So I went to that great knowledge-base of the Internet, Wikipedia.
The word Lent also has no real connection to this point in time. This Western European root of the word for spring, most likely is of Celtic origin, not of the Greek, Latin or Hebrew spoken in that area. Obviously, lent has to be in the spring.
During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting,or giving up luxuries to replicate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's journey into the desert for 40 days. In this journey, Christ apparently fasted and was tempted by Satan. But there are other sacrifices of 40 mentioned in the writings.
Today I was thinking about the sacrifices that I hear people are making. No one ever talks about that and I wonder if these good people understand the seriousness of their commitment. What is the purpose, the event, that these rote offerings supposedly honor?
So I went to that great knowledge-base of the Internet, Wikipedia.
The word Lent also has no real connection to this point in time. This Western European root of the word for spring, most likely is of Celtic origin, not of the Greek, Latin or Hebrew spoken in that area. Obviously, lent has to be in the spring.
During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting,or giving up luxuries to replicate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's journey into the desert for 40 days. In this journey, Christ apparently fasted and was tempted by Satan. But there are other sacrifices of 40 mentioned in the writings.
Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai with God (Exodus 24:18)
Elijah spent 40 days and nights walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8)
God sent 40 days and nights of rain in the great flood of Noah (Genesis 7:4)
The Hebrew people wandered 40 years in the desert while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33)
Jonah's prophecy of judgment gave 40 days to the city of Nineveh in which to repent or be destroyed (Jonah 3:4)
Elijah spent 40 days and nights walking to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8)
God sent 40 days and nights of rain in the great flood of Noah (Genesis 7:4)
The Hebrew people wandered 40 years in the desert while traveling to the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33)
Jonah's prophecy of judgment gave 40 days to the city of Nineveh in which to repent or be destroyed (Jonah 3:4)
All of these examples seem to involve some sort of separation from conventional society in search of approval of the creator. Perhaps this is the sacrifice that needs to be made in order to find one’s spiritual center, not giving up chocolate, alcohol, tobacco, or stuff you don’t do anyway. Perhaps the sacrifice is to let go of any conventional ideas that may be preventing you from finding your Key to the Garden Gate.
Did you truly follow your own path of enlightenment? Did you feel obligated to blindly follow a tradition because it’s what you have been told to do? At the end of this Lenten season, take some time to contemplate your choice of sacrifice. It may be you are doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
Did you truly follow your own path of enlightenment? Did you feel obligated to blindly follow a tradition because it’s what you have been told to do? At the end of this Lenten season, take some time to contemplate your choice of sacrifice. It may be you are doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
Jesus allegedly laid for 40 hours in the tomb before rising and opening the door to the tomb. This contemplation may have been necessary to complete the process of rejoining the creator.
Every time I do a Tarot Reading, a door opens to the Divine. Allow me to guide you out of the tomb of conventional society so that you may Find Your Key to the Gateway Home
Every time I do a Tarot Reading, a door opens to the Divine. Allow me to guide you out of the tomb of conventional society so that you may Find Your Key to the Gateway Home