HAPPY LENT!  Yes, I said Happy Lent.  What is happy about it?  Well, let me ask this: What is good about Good Friday?  These two questions have some common ground. 

Lent is a particularly penitential season—a season when we realize how sinful we can be and seek to do things that show we recognize this and want to be better.  And God’s reaction?  Forgiveness and mercy!  How can we not be joyful when we realize that God’s reaction to our idiocy is loving mercy and forgiveness.  As sad as we may be about our failings, do we really want that to overshadow the depth of God’s love?  In our pride (and it IS pride), do we want to wallow in our sinfulness, making it more important than God’s mercy?  Remember that this is a season of Reconciliation, as well!

Good Friday presents some of the same perspectives.  Why is it called good?  Because in answer to our most evil intents, Jesus says from the Cross, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”  Jesus took on the fullness of our humanity, even to the point of accepting death.  He did not run away from us, even though many of us deserted him in his final hours!  Once more, God answers our sinfulness with mercy and forgiveness.  It never hurts us to be honest about ourselves.  IF we are honest, we must acknowledge our weaknesses and accept that God’s goodness is seen so very clearly in the Cross.  And God’s goodness is always stronger than any of our weaknesses.

God is Good – All the time! 

All the time – God is Good! 

Happy Lent!