Lovely piece! Jesus told us to take up your cross and follow me - accept suffering willingly and not just as a consequence of ordinary life. Mortification is not a word we use freely these days and it has some baggage, but getting back to the purity of Lenten practices as you say, in "a response to God’s invitation for us to be joined to Christ in every part of our lives" deserves consideration. As a Methodist I am devoted to observing Lent as a preparation for the great gift of Easter, and as it has become a habit it is not a privation but a joy - a joyful time of waiting and anticipating made clearer and more significant by denying myself and in a small way linking myself to Christ's suffering in solidarity. I feel it more deeply this way. It is made more significant than just another date on the calendar. It brings Christ near to me as he draws near to all who suffer. Thanks again for the work you do and the willingness to share with us!
Lovely piece! Jesus told us to take up your cross and follow me - accept suffering willingly and not just as a consequence of ordinary life. Mortification is not a word we use freely these days and it has some baggage, but getting back to the purity of Lenten practices as you say, in "a response to God’s invitation for us to be joined to Christ in every part of our lives" deserves consideration. As a Methodist I am devoted to observing Lent as a preparation for the great gift of Easter, and as it has become a habit it is not a privation but a joy - a joyful time of waiting and anticipating made clearer and more significant by denying myself and in a small way linking myself to Christ's suffering in solidarity. I feel it more deeply this way. It is made more significant than just another date on the calendar. It brings Christ near to me as he draws near to all who suffer. Thanks again for the work you do and the willingness to share with us!