Thursday, February 14, 2008

LENT

So to answer the question as to why I'm not reading any fiction for the next forty days or so, allow me to enlighten you: I've given up fiction books for the period of Lent. The forty/forty six days leading up to Easter are traditionally (who set the tradition?) are referred to as Lent.

The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, as celebrated during Holy Week, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (according to the ol' faithful wikipedia).

Interestingly, and I remember this from my period of Lent last year, Sundays are not considered a part of the fasting for Lent. Typically because they are considered to be celebrations of the victory Christ Jesus has over sin and death. So yes, I could read on Sundays, but to some degree that would defeat the object -- in my case at least.

I have so far succeeded in the self denial of indulgence in a ficiton read. I don't believe I've gone as long as forty days without cracking open a fictional book. I don't believe I've ever gone a week before, and tonight marks one week. I can easily read 4, sometimes more, depending on the week, a week -- so anywhere from 20-30 books will be hold in the next month.

I must say that it has proved to be a worthy choice to give up, because I do spend many hours reading (as evident by the modest book count above), and I am trying to redirect myself in the instances I would go to read, and I have found myself thinking on the why of not picking up a book, and in doing so casting my mind to look at Jesus -- his temptation, and actually more at the forefront of the mind his death. It has also allowed me to take the periods of time wherein I would sit and read a fiction book, and spend time reading the Bible and journaling.

The question remains though, which book will be cracked open first following Easter??!!

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