Lenten Thoughts
Bonswa zanmi: Today is Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, the last day of partying before tomorrow’s Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of the Lenten Season.
Vodouizan of all stripes observe Lent in some way. Most Vodouizan also practice Catholicism and will do typical Catholic Things during Lent: go to Mass, say the Rosary, etc. Some Vodou houses completely shut down during Lent and have no ceremonies at all, and their clergy do no work for clients. Others shut down only during Holy Week.
This is a time of spiritual reflection, of spending more time in prayer and meditation. Many people use fasting and abstinence during Lent to focus on the spiritual side of life and put less emphasis on the body.
What you do to observe Lent (if you do so) is up to you, but here are a few suggestions:
-If you’re Catholic-minded, try going to Mass once a week during Lent. Tell your spirits (if you already serve the lwa) that you’re going to Mass and they can come with you and you’re doing this for them. Offering Mass for your spirits is an excellent way to “feed” them spiritually.
-Give up a bad habit. Some people do things like give up chocolate or alcohol for Lent, and that’s great if it works for you. But you can also do things like give up criticizing others, or gossiping. It’s good to pick something that you struggle with, and use the time of Lent to replace that habit with something positive
-Set aside a specific amount of time per day for prayer, meditation, or writing in a journal.
-Do charity for others. It could be as simple as forgoing snacks for a week and giving that money to the poor. You could volunteer at a soup kitchen. You could write to someone in prison. Be creative!
May you all experience Lent as a season of spiritual renewal!
