Lenten Check-in

Well, we’re more than a week into Lent so far and I thought I’d give you an update.  So far, the only non-grocery things I have bought were all things for my icky chest cold, like Puffs and lozenges and that “Cool Burst” Tylenol P.M. that tastes absolutely revolting but really works at a) coating your throat and easing the cough; and b) knocking you unconscious so you’re oblivious anyway.  So, no non-essential consumption.

Not so for Phil.  The first weekend of Lent, Phil came home from running errands and sheepishly said he had to make a confession: he had purchased a new remote control.  “There was a rebate on this, so . . .it was practically free!” he explained.  “It’s almost like I found it by the side of the road!  And secondly, my poor sick wife can’t get up out of bed to turn on the television.  I was just thinking of you, you know.” Uh huh.

It’s amazing how just taking a wee step off the consumer treadmill can open your eyes to how pervasive it all is.  What has surprised me most is how sensitive I am right now to advertising – it is everywhere!  And the catalogs keep pouring into our mailbox.  Most of them go straight into the recycling bin now.  I did succumb last week to reading the Rejuvenation catalog and dreaming about light fixtures for the bathroom we’re going to remodel this year. 

It’s hard to read a magazine or even open my own email without getting bombarded with ads.  I seem to get email ads at least once a week from Coldwater Creek, Talbots, Travelocity, American Airlines, Flowers.com, Pottery Barn, Levenger . . . and about a kajillion publishers who are hawking their new books. 

Spiritually, I feel like I’m coming up short so far this Lenten season.  I haven’t balanced the Lenten sacrifices effectively with additional time in prayer or devotional reading, so at this point, Lent feels pretty darn dry.  But it’s early days yet, and I’m still settling in.  How are you all doing with your Lenten disciplines?

Comments

[Dan Miller]

I meant to tell you this yesterday when we were talking (but I forgot) that I really enjoyed your blog about Lent. In the past, I've never really done anything for Lent, since I kind of just wrote it off as one of those "wacky" things that Catholics do :-). But your post(s) on it have made me re-think it, so I might consider doing something next year

[John Remy]

I'm meat-free (except for the weekly fish) so far! Like you, I need to work on the meditative, introspective aspect.

Your consumer-free Lent is inspiring. We've managed to escape some consumerist avenues: we buy groceries at Trader Joe's, so aren't exposed to most of the big name food brands; we don't have a TV, so miss a lot of mainstream advertising; I buy many of my clothes at Goodwill. Just looked at that last sentence and it sounds like I'm patting myself on the back. I guess what I'm trying to say is that as hard as we try to avoid it, there are still all these other points of entry for the consumerist lifestyle. I'm surrounded by Apple products right now (email and web is all Steve Jobs needs to penetrate my heart), I have my Borders Rewards and Amazon Prime memberships, etc.

I wish you best on your Lenten journey, and I hope you'll continue to keep us posted!

[John Remy]

Side note: I think I know more Mormons, atheists and Buddhists (one) participating in Lent this year than Catholics (but most of the Catholics I know are lapsed).