As a lapsed Catholic, it has been twenty years since I attended Mass on Ash Wednesday and twenty years since I gave up anything for Lent. This year, induced by Rick Santorum's focus on his faith and the latest public stance on contraception by the Catholic Church, I have decided to revisit the concept of denying myself something in observance of my faith.
Of course that faith is no longer Catholicism so I needed to spend some time deciding what I believed in and what sacrifice would mean something to those beliefs. I won't lie to you, this has not been easy.
As Bob Dylan said in Absolutely Sweet Marie, "To live outside the law, you must be honest". That phrase always keeps coming back to mind as I wrestle with the definition of my faith and theology. This is how I have always thought about it, I have chosen to live outside the law of the Catholic Church. Therefore, I needed to find a central tenet of my own faith. To be honest has become that central tenet.
So what does one deny oneself to affirm the belief of being honest? I'm still not sure. Maybe I should give up the smaller prevarications that mark daily life. Perhaps I should start answering short pleasantries with total honesty.
"How are you today?" could be followed by "A little hungover, slightly grouchy, and frankly unable to deal with the likes of you today!"
Okay, that won't work.
So I have decided to be active rather than passive this season. I shall keep track of what I spend on coffee between now and Easter. At the end of Lent, I will match that sum in a donation to Share Our Strength. It's the least I can do. I still get to have my coffee and some hungry children will get a small amount of help. The truth is that I don't spend a whole lot on coffee these days but, hey, every little bit helps.
And now onto something that I refuse to give up, writing diaries here at the Great Orange Satan. I am closing in on fifty of them and I am doing my best to make the next five meaningful. For the time being I will refrain from posting just because I feel like it or because I am bored. No, the next five will be lovingly crafted and come from the heart.
So, now that I have disposed with that bit of seriousness, on to some fun! After all, there is a Republican debate tonight. Heck, I may even watch it.
Yes, Virginia, there's a debate tonight! Get your popcorn ready!
I'm wondering if Rick Santorum has been ramping up his religious dogma in anticipation of tonight's debate being on Ash Wednesday.
Is tonight the night that the Republican candidates go all out on the religious front in anticipation of Super Tuesday? Will Gingrich or Santorum call out Mitt Romney on his faith? Will the candidates go crazy trying to out-pious one another?
How will the desperate ones react to a tightening race? How far is Romney willing to go to get to the right of Rick Santorum?
Is it possible to get to the right of Rick Santorum?
How much time will the Republican candidates spend kowtowing to the uber-wealthy in this country? Will Santorum turn away from his religious dogma and focus on the economy stupid?
Will Romney's release of his economic plan gain any traction? Will this tactic work for him? Can "RMoney" get back into the lead and convince Republicans that he is the one to vote for?
After all, this nomination race is by the rich, for the rich and of the rich. The Republican "establishment" clearly still wants Romney to be their candidate although there have been some hints that the convention will be brokered.
Great! Another chance for Sister Sarah.
Try this on for size. Or turn it into a drinking game, if you have a liver that's clean enough to handle the intake that is.
This is, of course, the standard Republican debate game. I know that counting mentions of St. Ronnie is old hat but it's still my favorite. My money is, as always, on Newt to win this game. Of course, at this point, what else does he have to sell?
Sadly, I'm waiting for the "You won't have Newt Gingrich to kick around anymore" moment of the campaign.
The question on my mind is how Santorum will tie his bid for canonization to the beatification efforts of Reagan.
Again, this is old hat but I'm still wondering what he has up his sleeve.
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And now I leave you with a bit of viewing pleasure. Crank up the volume and enjoy ...