19 February 2010

Share Your Faith Question #6: On Lent

Interactive Lent Calendar from BustedHalo.com

For many, this week marks the beginning of a holy season. During Lent, which lasts from Ash Wednesday until Easter, Christian believers engage in a period of intense spiritual discipline: through acts of prayer, self-denial, and charity, they strive to grow closer to God and to their fellow human beings.

While Unitarian Universalists have not traditionally observed the rituals of Lent, a growing number are challenging themselves to do so. For some, these forty days present an opportunity to focus on their personal faith development. For others, they are a reminder that they are more than their desires. Still others embrace them as a corrective, a time to recommit to living in a more compassionate, open-hearted way.

If you're interested in learning more about Lent, or if you'd like to observe it this year but aren't sure where to start, the following websites might be helpful:

Busted Halo's "completely unflunkable, entirely relevant and totally inspiring" Lent calendar (pictured above) provides young adults with daily chances to deepen their religious practice through fasting (either literally or metaphorically), meditating, and acts of generosity.

UU minister and life coach Michelle Favreault's Lenten Writing Challenges inspire seekers to "Let the Words Out, Let the Spirit In."

This week's question: Are there any rituals that help you deepen your faith or practice? What do they involve and how often do you perform them?

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