Came across an unusually helpful and wide array of articles this week and I’m sharing them with you all.
First there is this incredible piece of reporting on the He Gets Us ads that aired during the SuperBowl which indicates their main purpose may be data-farming for conservative political groups.
Second, there’s the big World Science Fiction Convention Hugo Awards censorship scandal. I was at the WorldCon in 2021 in D.C. when Chinese fans won the bid to host the convention in Chengdu, so have continued to follow this story closely (though I couldn’t attend the Con in China).
In entirely other news, the HHS released a report this week finding nearly $124 Billion positive fiscal impact of refugees and asylees on the American economy in a 15-Year period. If anything should convince you that the Republican Party is fueled exclusively by xenophobia and racism rather than actual economic policy, this would be it.
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Lent as a spiritual season is an opportunity to commit (or re-commit) to core Christian practices.
Lent is first of all the forty-day journey beginning with Ash Wednesday (February 14th this year) and concluding with Holy Week and Easter (March 31st). In an odd quirk, the Sundays in Lent don’t count as days of Lent, which is how it becomes forty days over that span.
During the forty days, we journey with Jesus through the final weeks of his public ministry, setting our faces with him towards Jerusalem and the cross.
Traditionally, Christians commit to three practices during the season: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Often, this includes using a daily devotional resource for prayer; fasting from certain foods or activities (or giving foods away, as the Little Free Pantry graphic recommends); and almsgiving, that is, giving to the poor.
The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and leads to Holy Week. Even many active members of congregations have seldom attended the special midweek services. If you are unfamiliar with these special services, I very much encourage you to check them out this year. At Ash Wednesday, we receive a sign of the cross on our foreheads, reminding us of our mortality and one-ness with the dust of the earth. Holy Week includes Maundy Thursday observance in memory of Christ’s last supper, Friday around the cross on which he died, and Saturday Easter Vigil with the new fire welcoming new members and celebrating the resurrection light and the gift of baptism. Having observed all the days of Christ’s journey through death to resurrection, the Sunday morning of Easter, we pull out all the stops with celebratory worship—and often Easter egg hunts.
For additional devotional resources and ideas during the Lenten season, consider praying the daily offices, for example using this simple online tool. Take Lent for what it is, an opportunity for introspection and renewal, joining Christ in his faithful journey.
Twentieth-century Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor said, “I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is, but I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened…What people don’t realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.”[i]
Faith is the cross. Lent is the season that centers us in this gospel truth.
I was hoping you would have something to say about the Super Bowl Ads. I struck up a conversation with the person next to me not knowing a thing about her political preference about you and told her all about your work with Canopy, etc.. Just FYI I am always bragging about you and your unique loving style of managing our church and your scholarly gift of having a PH.D and ability to express yourself so eloquently. I always felt like I was attending a lecture at the University each Sunday and miss the discussions all of would have with the newcomers about the gospel and your sermons. Anyway.. thanks again!