View from the DSU Prayer Station: What is Lent?

Open door = strong blast of frigid air!

It's Lent, a good time for confession.  I need to confess that I had many uncharitable thoughts today at the prayer station:  every time a student held the doors open for a group of students to come through I thought unkind things in their direction.  I know it's the right thing to do, holding the door for another person, but they would just stand there forEVER as the 21 degree wind blew in, and all I could think was, "SHUT THE DOOR!"  Fortunately I only thought this and did not shout it at them, but at one point I looked up and both doors were standing wide open as a man carrying some flowers walked through the center.  I'm guessing he hit the button that is there for those in wheelchairs to push so that the doors will open automatically.  If he'd been in a wheelchair, I might have been more charitable, but I just looked at those doors, gateways to the frigid air, and thought, "SHUT THE DOOR!"

Those were my low moments today.  But my high was when a student who is part of another campus ministry group felt comfortable enough to come up, sit down in the cold, and ask me, "What is Lent?"  She had heard of it but didn't really know what it meant, and some of her friends had gone about campus yesterday with ashes on their foreheads and were talking about the things they were giving up for Lent and asking her what she was giving up.  Not understanding what Lent was, she wasn't sure how to participate.

David Student Union and Plaza with mound of snow

I am not one of those people who says that Lent is my favorite season.  I can't help it; I'm a resurrection, spring time flowers blooming, hope, joy, and new life kind of girl.  Nevertheless, I have always been keenly aware that it is only by dying that one gets to that new life, that you can't get to resurrection without the cross, and that a time of self-examination and repentance leading up to Holy Week is a good and blessed thing that makes Easter all the more joyful.  There are even years when I crave the greater simplicity of Lent.  So when the student asked me if I could explain how it related to Easter, I was delighted to oblige.

It might have been better if I could have observed some simplicity in my answer.  I have read so many blog posts about Lent and Ash Wednesday in the past few days that I was like a sitting fountain of information.  I hope I didn't overwhelm her.  I talked about Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness and the ancient Israelites wandering for in the wilderness.  I discussed what the ashes mean and how Sundays are always feast days.  I talked about giving up and taking on and letting go and above all choosing some sort of practice or discipline that is meaningful and draws one closer to God.  She asked questions and I gave answers.  I was so excited that I think I may have babbled on a bit.  But I was so excited!  Someone who had heard about Lent and wasn't quite sure what it all meant and wasn't scared to ask questions.  We even talked about Palm Sunday and how hard it was to imagine the crowds shifting from "Hosanna!" to "Crucify him!" 

I was grateful to be asked a question that I could answer with confidence.  And while we were talking, I didn't notice the cold!  We also had a new person show up for Eucharist today.  She's been wanting to come since last semester.  Unfortunately the prayer station sign has taken a beating in the strong winds and blew over for the second time today.  The small "How may I pray for you?" piece is starting to come apart.  I may need to take up wood working for Lent. 

All in all, a good day at the Prayer Station.  Maybe sitting in the cold will be my Lenten discipline - though I feel certain than a warm spring day in the Plaza would draw me closer to God!

Chapel in the snow