The 40-day season of Lent gives us permission to lament, and not just because we maybe gave up dessert, carbs, or cocktails as our Lenten fast. But rather, because as we entered the season on Ash Wednesday, we were reminded once again of the truth about ourselves: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Sometimes we can face up to that fact, but most of the time we try like the dickens to ignore it, to deny it, or to escape it.

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Nothing quite says “Hurray! It’s Lent!” like the Great Litany with which we began worship this morning.  Subdued yet audible groans leaked from the mouths of choir members last Wednesday as they were reminded of the liturgical way in which we would be entering into the Lenten season today.  Visitors in previous years have been known to ask with wide eyes after worship, “Do you do that long thing every Sunday?” Even long-time members who forget from year-to-year about the litany have reportedly wondered, “What’s so ‘great’ about the Great Litany?”

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This is a day for admitting the truth about ourselves and for claiming the truth about God.

The truth about ourselves is that we are rebels, and not in a way that is either admirable nor fashionable. With little to no effort whatsoever, and on a regular basis, we do what comes naturally for us as mortals: we go our own way, we “go it on our own,” we wander, we get off-track, we forget God.

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Sookie Stackhouse can hear voices. Sookie is one of the two lead characters in the HBO racy vampire series “True Blood” and she has the uncanny ability to hear the thoughts of people as if they were speaking in an audible voice.  Sookie is a waitress in a backwater Louisiana small town bar, and her telepathic abilities often distract her as she hears the thoughts of customers who are attracted to her physical beauty, who are disgusted with the food served at Merlotte’s, or who are repulsed by her hospitality of vampires who — of course — are feared by most everyone and regarded at best as outcast citizens of the community.

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St. Francis of Assisi is attributed as having said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” So in the spirit of Holy Francis of old, let’s sing!

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When I was twelve years old, I attended middle school in a newly-built building which had very few interior walls.  This was the cool-and-groovy 1970’s, mind you, and rather than homerooms we had “families” and rather than classrooms, we had “areas” and the inner architecture of the building reflected this hip, new educational philosophy. If we weren’t sitting on fluorescent-colored bean-bag chairs on long shag carpet, we were sitting at round tables with other members of our “family” — aka classmates. In the sprawling wide-open classroom areas, there were only colorful 4-foot dividers which distinguished one “area” from another, and one “family” grouping from another. Gone were individual desks and enclosed classrooms, until (thank the good Lord) we commenced to high school where the educational world of rooms and classes and desks resumed.  It was a zany time and a grand experiment in education. And I understand that long since, walls have been constructed and class-rooms and desks are back. The old vogue didn’t last long.

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“Will that be for here, or to go?”

These are not unfamiliar words to many of us.

We step up to the counter, we place our order.

A burger, fries. Medium drink.

And we await the expected question:

“Will that be for here or to go?”
 
But it was not the question I wanted to hear just the other Sunday morning a week or two ago when I stopped by Krispy Kremes for a dozen donuts. A dozen! 12 of them.
“Will that be for here or to go?”

Really?!

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By the third Sunday in Advent, truthfully, scarcely any of us is really in the mood for what John the Baptist has to say with threats of doom and gloom, with cries for fruit-bearing repentance, and warnings of winnowing forks and unquenchable fire.

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I get a kick out church signs and often wish we utilized our location here on the Lincoln Freeway a bit more to have some fun with passersby. These signs can make you laugh as you appreciate their sharp wit, they can make you groan and shake your head and thank God that’s not your church, and sometimes they can give you pause and make you go “hmm.” Here’s one from St Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church in Houston, TX: “Staying in bed and shouting ‘O God!’ does not constitute going to church.” Or try this one from Goodwood United Methodist Church (who probably would do well to consider a different name for their church): “Free Coffee. Everlasting Life. Yes, membership has its privileges.” Or this one from Donelson Baptist Church, “Forgive your enemies. It messes with their heads.” But I think my favorite one is “Looking for a sign from God? This is it!”

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With the apocalyptic movie “2012″ hitting theaters this past week, once again the American public is freshly-confronted with images of a global cataclysm ushering in the end of the world, and scaring the living daylights out of those with just enough knowledge of biblical apocalyptic literature (or Mayan culture and eschatology) to make it seem like “the end” is really just around the corner two years from now. With the terror-striking three-word banner advertising the film, “We were warned,” the apocalyptic fever of the country — and possibly the world — just went up a degree or two.

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