The Christian Lenten Season began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22. This year it continues until Easter on Sunday, April 8. For some Christians, its a time to give up bad habits, like eating chocolate, drinking too much alcohol, or swearing too much. And at the beginning of every Lenten Season, I remember my parents giving up the same bad habit every year: They quit smoking.
Their resolution to quit smoking lasted until their third or fourth marital spat. After arguing with each other for days or weeks, they inevitably decided that theyd rather keep their marriage together than go through another explosive nicotine fit. Being that irritable as they gave up smoking wasnt worth risking divorce; and so they always made up (which I discovered as a married man can always be rather fun for fussy married people, who truly and deeply love one another). How did they like to make up?
My mother would say, Bob, lets go cash a check, which was their secret code. Their secret code actually meant, Bob, lets go out on a date, leave Tom at home with a babysitter, buy a pack of cigarettes, and have a good time like we used to. On their way to a good time, they would buy a pack of cigarettes, stop arguing, and become happily married again (at least for a little while). I never minded their dates, because when they started smoking again, my rather simple and uncomplicated life went back to normal. Every time I heard, Lets go cash a check, I knew that theyd come home with smiles on their faces. So, what did they teach me about Lent? They taught me, Its nice to make worthy Lenten resolutions, but life must go on despite all good intentions.
Now that you know my parents annual Lenten resolution, can you guess what their annual New Years resolution was, too? Youre right: They would quit smoking ... again. And, guess how long that lasted. Youre correct again: Not very long. As I grew older, I decided that my parents only came up with Lenten and New Years resolutions so they could get fussy, spat with one another, and then enjoy making up after buying a pack of cigarettes.
Fortunately, both my parents eventually quit smoking. Id like to say that they quit because of Lenten or New Years resolutions. Not so. They quit smoking because it made common sense. And I felt glad that they quit. More importantly today, I feel happy that they quit, because they gave me a newer and more worthy take-away message concerning Lent.
Today I can see that Lent serves as a time to begin using the kind of common sense we need to use for the rest of our life. Its a time to explore and test out new behaviors that make enough sense to keep doing every day of the year not just a few days or weeks. Does it make common sense to exercise routinely? Yes. Does it make common sense to find at least one or two new, simple, inexpensive, quick and healthy recipes to cook in a few minutes when our schedules get overwhelming (instead of relying on fast food)? Of course it makes sense.
Big Picture-wise, doesnt it make common sense to eat, drink, enjoy our employment, have at least one good friend, and love our soulmate? Yes. The biblical author of the Book of Ecclesiastes thought so, too (Ecclesiastes 2:24). Does it make sense to seek wisdom in order to live The Good Life? Yes. The author of the Book of Proverbs thought so, too (Proverbs 3:13). What about doing unto others as you would have them do unto you? Yes. Jesus thought so, too (Matthew 7:12). That all makes good, common sense.
Perhaps, then, the best resolution we might make during this Lenten Season would be, Im going to begin using some common sense during Lent the kind of common sense that I can use for the rest of the year or maybe the kind of common sense that I can use for the rest of my life.
What makes sense to you this Lenten Season?
Pastor Tom recently came from Christ United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah to Cortez, where he pastors First United Methodist Church. Hes a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary and Johns Hopkins University.