Random thoughts on Lent 2023

Thursday after Ash Wednesday

Why do Catholics give up items during Lent.   There are several reasons that I’d rather you Google dear readers.   For me, an episode from the TV series “Charmed” (the late 1990’s and early 2000’s one that stared Shannon Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Allyssa Milano) called “Morality Bites” illustrates a principle of why many a good Catholic tries to give up something during Lent (as I said there are several reasons why we give up stuff for Lent, but this is one I can relate to).  The episode starts out with Phoebe, who has the power of premonition, seeing herself being burned at the stake at some vague date in the future.    This premonition is so upsetting that older sisters Prue and Piper along with Phoebe cast a spell to have them travel to the future to figure out why.  Turns out that Phoebe used her witchcraft powers to kill someone.  Phoebe’s famous killing has then strained Piper’s dream marriage to her lover Leo to the point of divorce, and Prue has become a witch with a capitol B.    Needless the say the three Halliwell sisters don’t like what they are seeing of their future selves and have to figure out how to prevent it.   So, when the fates (aka the writers) bring the sisters back to their present of 1999 they witness a neighbor walking his dog by their front door and the dog has decided to take care of its business on the steps of their front porch.  Annoyed at this Prue & Piper decide to use their witchy powers to try and teach this rude neighbor a lesson.  Meanwhile Phoebe stops them by realizing that by choosing to use their witchcraft powers to do harm rather than good (even if its only a minor harm) is what leads to their possible tragic future fate.    Of course actual fate would cause Shannon Doherty to leave the show in a huff to be replaced by Rose McGowan and that plot line to never come true.  But I’m digressing from my point.  

My point is that Jesus famously said in Luke 16 verse 10 He who is fateful in a little thing is also fateful also in much and vice versa.   So, by staying away from something like chocolate, which I’m trying to do, is a way to make sure my focus is on God and not my desire for coco-y melty, sugary treats that I’ll binge on instead of savoring just one.   Regrettably for me my initial enthusiasm and justification to try and undue every vice I have gets bogged down by a very powerful temptation factor and sometimes it could be saying yes to something small that I should say no to that is leading me down the primrose path to Hell.   

Which leads me I guess to my 1^st Lenten setback.   In addition to getting rid of the gluttonous urges inside of me I’m trying to get rid of the slothful urges as well.  Not only do I eat too much junk food but I also watch perhaps too much TV/YouTube.    I’m probably watching a good 3-4 hours of videos when I get home from work.   So, knowing that it’s best to not leave our dinner dishes for more than a few hours I’ve decided to stop watching part of YouTube, specifically any what I’m dubbing “secular” YouTube (any videos about non-spiritual things).  I’m leaving a loophole in for godly YouTubers Bishop Robert Barron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Casey, Matt Fradd, Brandon Robbins, essentially people who will redirect my thoughts to God and what He wants from me as long as I’m not binge-watching their videos for 3-4 hours instead.    Of course the minute I pledge this secretly to myself is when I encounter my first temptation and like I have done with so many temptations before , I caved right in.  I’m catching Steve Colbert’s monologue on YouTube, I’m watching crazy animal videos on YouTube, I’m getting new fashion theories from MatPat’s new theory channel on YouTube.  I am completely ignoring the capital YOU that is God in favor of the me enjoying the 21^st century dullard tube.  (Too nervous of using the actual slang phrase here).

My inner slothful demon has even caused me to reverse some of the gains I was making against it.   I’ve been trying to exercise before I leave for work or start my work shift at home.  I didn’t exercise yesterday because I chose to attend church at 6:30 am instead.  Today, I had no excuse.  I just wanted to get some badly needed rest and thought it would be better to spend that hour of workout sleeping. I was probably extra tired because even though I managed to stay away from YouTube on Ash Wednesday, I was still taking a few hours and failing to publish the 1^st entry on this blog as originally planned on Ash Wednesday. 

Still, I have to keep reminding myself just because I failed to resist cute animal videos doesn’t mean I’m a failure.  It’s just a setback on my hard road to Heaven