Catalyst Question
What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken? Share about what you did to occupy yourself during the journey.
Joy Amidst the Sorrow
Believe it or not, we’re in the last few weeks of Lent. After this Sunday, it’s Palm Sunday, then Holy Week, with Easter just around the corner. It’s not the longest season of the church year; that honor belongs to ordinary time. Yet, it’s perhaps the most intentional season for many Christians. As we take on new devotional practices or give up certain privileges, these 40 days can feel much longer.
This long slog of progress toward new life isn’t restricted only to Lent. Think, for instance, of the communities in California still recovering from wildfires or North Carolina rebuilding after floods. Globally, consider the recent earthquake in Myanmar. Natural disasters, and the destruction that follow, require long journeys of intentional activity to restore life to something like normal. Lent can teach us this intentionality so that, when we encounter our own struggles, we too can take specific steps toward new life. Lent can also help us sympathize with those whose seasons toward new life take much longer than 40 days.
In many other ways, Lent is a lesson in life. One of the key reminders in Lent is this: find time to celebrate. In areas of the world that face disaster, both home and abroad, there are still birthdays and anniversaries, holidays and festivals. They are not the same as in normal times, not at all. Yet, many people find solace in reclaiming a moment of joy in the midst of a sorrowful season.
John 12:1-8 depicts a woman anointing Jesus with perfume on his journey toward the cross. It seems a weird thing, to interrupt dinner so she could douse Jesus in Axe body spray. But rather than cheap aerosols, this nard was an expensive rarity, meant to prepare a body for burial. The pungent aroma flowing from a vase would hold the scent of death at bay. For Jesus, who we know is preparing to die, this expensive gift both acknowledges the seriousness of the season and takes a moment to celebrate something sacred in the midst of the struggle.
That’s why Sundays aren’t properly a part of Lent. After all, there are more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. The Sundays aren’t counted in the season because they are mini celebrations of Easter. On those days, we don’t ignore Lent. Yet, we find a reason to pull out the stops and find joy amidst a sorrowful journey. In doing so, we follow this woman’s lead, for she too sought to celebrate Jesus even as he undertook the most grievous journey toward the cross.
As you journey throughout the rest of Lent, consider the following questions:
Ask Yourself
What are the things that I want to celebrate even when I am in a sad or difficult season of life? Why is that?
Ask a Friend
How do you like to celebrate special moments in your life? How does that change in a time of sadness, if at all?
