Spring Cleaning Our Lives
Today is the last day of Mardi Gras which is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the last day of a season called “Carnival.” The Carnival season is characterized by merrymaking, feasting, and dancing. Mardi Gras is the culmination of festivities and features parades, masquerades, and, unfortunately, often drunkenness and shameless debauchery.
It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Christian Lent season leading up to Easter. During Lent, many Christians fast, and the name Fat Tuesday refers to the last day of eating richer foods before the leaner days of Lent begin.
The excess of Carnival may not seem to have much in common with Lent but the two seasons are inseparable. The day after Fat Tuesday is Ash Wednesday; therefore, the end of Carnival is followed immediately by the beginning of Lent. Lent is a time of fasting and penance in preparation for Easter. Carnival, then, can rightly be seen as the indulgence before the fast. It is one last “binge” before having to give something up for 40 days. (Gotquestions.org)
While I was on vacation last week in Cozumel, the city was preparing for Carnival. There were all types of decorations around the main roadways, businesses had signs welcoming those who were coming to celebrate, stages were built for concerts and vendors prepared their booths to sell all types of items for the celebration.
It was very interesting to see all of efforts made and the excitement of the vendors who always said, “Carnival is coming!”
Easter is my favorite season of the whole year and I eagerly look forward to the Lenten season. I was reading an article about Lent and the author called it the “Spring cleaning of our lives – renewing our faith.”
The idea of Fat Tuesday is to rid your home of excesses before the 40 days of fasting begins on Ash Wednesday. So it’s similar to a spring cleaning. On the spiritual side it would be preparing your heart and mind for Easter. The celebration of our Risen Lord.
As I watched the people cleaning the streets, trimming the palm trees and hanging decorations in preparation for the coming celebration, I became so excited about Easter and grateful that I had the opportunity to see the contrast in person. Do I prepare my heart with such enthusiasm and detail to celebrate Easter as they were preparing to celebrate Carnival? The real reason to celebrate is Jesus. Am I eagerly awaiting the coming of my Lord?
Today I’m choosing to get rid of anything hindering my full attention to the next 40 days of time with Jesus. During Lent this year I want to be mindful of how God is working in my life and renew my commitment to follow Him.
Some of the other words that I came across in the article that will be helpful for the Lenten season are; humility, sacrifice, repentance, renewal, reflect, fasting, praying and giving – sharing with others money, time and talents.
I pray this will be a very blessed season and special time with God. I’m looking forward to all that He has in store for me and pray that on Easter Sunday I will be closer to Him than ever before.
My prayer
Father, thank you for the visual lesson on preparing for the right celebration, Your return. I’m so blessed to be in a relationship with you and I pray that this Lenten season will be one like never before. I want to be closer to You and go deeper with You. Thank you for the sacrifice You made for me. Thank you for the hope that is found in You and for Your promises. Praise God! My Savior Lives! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Where does my help come from?
Hebrews 12: 1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.