Bright Sadness

Life Things: My Lenten Journey

Lent has always intrigued me. When I was a young Protestant I couldn’t quite understand why my Catholic friends would give up candy for six weeks. As the years progressed it seemed to be any vice that the Church deemed fun. What was the point? What I never asked, though, was how they felt after the abstinence was lifted? Were they lighter? Did they ever falter? How did it change them?

Later I began to ponder Lent in a different way. Could this be a time for reflection, deeper concentration, or just living life in a quieter manner? Once I worked my way through Kate Bowler’s Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection. Another year I wrote every day and posted on Substack, while also stepping away from social media.

How did these Lenten journeys affect me? Did I have a spiritual awakening? Was I better because of them? What about the difficulties of following/giving up something for 40 days?

I don’t have any real answers, but I did do a shallow internet dive on Lent. For most it is a season of self-reflection, simplicity, and sincerity. A time to quietly step aside from the noises of our daily lives. The Orthodox Church calls it a time of “bright sadness.” How marvelous.

I’m drawn to the oxymoron “bright sadness.” It is how many of us are feeling, aware of all the injustices and cruelty and ignorance and chaos AND possessing a deep desire for peace, slowing down, and quiet.

A celebratory pause for hopeful despair and joyous grief.

Silent roars.

Gentle rage.

Good trouble.

(I do love oxymorons. So fun.)

The 2026 Lenten season begins at the same time as Chinese celebrate their Lunar New Year and Muslims fast for Ramadan. Different customs, similar intentions for hope and peace. There’s also a New Moon in my area tonight, and a partial Solar eclipse in most of the southern hemisphere. It is almost as though the universe is whispering, “I see you, sweets. Breathe. Pray. Dance. Share meals. Pick up litter. Have a warm beverage. Bake cookies. Love one another. Be kind and good.”

How can I, a self-declared “heathen and pagan on the side of the rebel Jesus” listen to the universe as she speaks to our brokenness? Do I give up something? Or perhaps pick something up? Or do I quiet my mind? Be still? Or move? Volunteer? Protest? Call? Email?

Or….

just try to live this messy life the best I can?

Fight with passion. Set aside corrosive anger. See others dignity. Cry for my pain and for others. Experience joy. Walk the path of love, always love.

Be still and keep moving.

Bright Sadness.

*****************************

“Stillness is what creates love,

Movement is what creates life,

To be still, yet still moving -

That is everything!” ~Do Hyun Choe

******************************
Link to Jackson Brown’s The Rebel Jesus:

The Rebel Jesus

My Christmas cactus is finally blooming after I moved her to where she gets the morning sun. Maybe we all need to move a little bit more towards the light?

I am limiting (not abstaining, just setting boundaries on mindless scrolling) my social media during Lent, but will still continue to write and post on Substack. I’m also joining Nadia Bolz-Weber’s #40DaysofGoodShit, noticing firsthand the good shit that is happening around me. If you haven’t already, please subscribe. It’s always free, never blocked, and full of my ramblings.