BY Bill Reagan
This is the first Sunday in Lent.
Giving up something for Lent may seem like a quaint, old fashioned religious practice. Most people give up some token luxury or a bad habit they are trying to break.
I have been forced to give up my computer this Lenten Season. Something went wrong and the machine had to be sent back to the manufacturer. I back up my files on a regular basis, but there were some important files I had not backed up yet. I just hope they are not lost forever. I have a feeling they might be. I missed a column last week and who knows what may be missing when I get my computer back.
I sometimes feel at a loss. It is a lot of trouble to remember how to log on to websites I have bookmarked on my computer. Email chains are missing. So is my calendar. And my task list. I have to actually remember these things now!
Lent is supposed to be like a missing computer. Uncomfortable. A bit bothersome. Inconvenient. Work. Human nature likes predictability. That’s why McDonald’s conquered the world. The Big Mac is the same wherever
you go. We like things easy. A few years ago you had to type on keyboard to get at the internet. Now you just talk to your phone.
Work is good for you. So is inconvenience. A bit of bother and discomfort make you appreciate what you have. Working around a problem can actually be fun.
A little Lenten bother just might be good for you, too. Let Lent be more than a token sacrifice or an attempt to break a bad habit. Let Lent bother you enough to think about your life, your relationship to God, your habits and your values. Let Lent make you better, appreciative of your many luxuries and conveniences, and open to new ways to grow.
As for me, I just want my computer back! Before Easter, please!
Bill Reagan is executive director of Loaves & Fishes of the Rio Grande Valley.
