When I was a kid, not much prepared me for Easter. It was the major holiday after Christmas, of course. But there were so many other holidays first: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine's Day, Presidents Day, St. Patrick's Day, and, as someone who grew up in Chicagoland, Casimir Pulaski Day. My only indication Easter was around the corner was Palm Sunday. Maybe the occasional Good Friday service.
I had friends who observed Lent but I was never overly curious about it. It was something they did and something my Catholic extended family did. I couldn't imagine giving something up for 40 days. I didn't see the point of such short-lived self-denial. If you knew you needed less of something, why not do it year-round? (I promise I was not a killjoy of a child.)
Flash forward many years and I found myself reading up on Lent and exploring mainline services.
Head on over to The Red Couch to learn more about this month's selection. You can also read my review of the book here.
