Spirituality and Lent
It is the spiritual dimension that gives substance to the meaning of our lives. Spirituality is innate, it lies within us all—I’ve never known a person to deny their spirituality. The challenge, in the complexity of life, is to set aside time to cultivate it. Besides time, we need to know the ways and means. This column is dedicated to that endeavor.
We experience spirituality in the beauty of nature, with solitary sunset walks on the beach, in awakening at night to see a full moon shining on the ocean, or when hiking quiet trails in Laguna’s greenbelt. It’s found in our art, as in William Wendt’s scenic paintings. Or in music that moves the soul—like the opening notes of Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” which I’m listening to as I write. We experience it in quiet moments of reading and pondering, with flashes of fresh insight. We find it in the awe that attends life’s portals of birth and death.
To find deeper levels of spirituality we need others, those we serve, and those we love. We can find this worshipping together in our churches. This spirituality is transformative. It gives us peace—the promised “rest for your souls.” It enhances holiness, and invites sanctification. The problem is that life tends to get messy. Order—with the passing of time—becomes disorder. The Second Law of Thermodynamics speaks to this in the physical sense, introducing the concept of entropy or ever-increasing disorder. The spiritual world, however, seems to operate by a higher law. Here, spiritually, life can become more orderly. Isn’t that what repentance does? Doesn’t this rest on the meaning of grace? And isn’t all of this the great, underlying message of Easter?
Churches that offer a vital and relevant religion excel at this, and Laguna has a cornucopia. Here, one can explore the deeper end of the pool of meaning, a timely topic as we are about to begin the liturgical season of Lent—a time of penitence and spiritual renewal that prepares one to observe Easter.
Actually, today is the start of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the pre-Lenten explosion of uninhibited Brazilian joy that precedes Lent. Next week is Shrove Tuesday, a time of self-examination but also a last indulgence—like pancakes for dinner if you’re Irish—before the self-denial of Lent. In New Orleans, they call it Mardis Gras (French for Fat Tuesday), though like Carnival, it’s gotten a bit out of hand. March 6 is Ash Wednesday, the official start of the 40 days of Lent.
Lent is a time of meditation and spiritual seeking, often with the self-denial of giving up a less-wholesome habit—such as alcohol, sodas, sweets, bad language, or losing your temper. It’s a time for lifting up the needy and thinking less of yourself. You should know that in the Medieval period, the pious gave up sex for Lent, evidenced by a sharp decline in births nine months hence. Just saying.
I’m talking with the Beautiful Wife about what to give up for Lent, but also what good thing we might add to our daily routine. I might dust off those New Year’s resolutions. All in the search for that spirituality that gives meaning to life.
Skip fell in love with Laguna on a ‘50s surfing trip. He’s a student of Laguna history and the author of “Loving Laguna: A Local’s Guide to Laguna Beach.” Email: [email protected].
Places to worship (all on Sunday, unless noted):
Baha’i’s of Laguna Beach—contact [email protected] for events and meetings.
Calvary Chapel Seaside, 21540 Wesley Drive (Lang Park Community Center), 10:30 a.m.
Chabad Jewish Center, 30804 S. Coast Hwy, Fri. 6 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m., Sun. 8 a.m.
Church by the Sea, 468 Legion St., 9 & 10:45 a.m.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 682 Park Ave., 10 a.m.
First Church of Christ, Scientist, 635 High Dr., 10 a.m.
ISKCON (Hare Krishna), 285 Legion St., 5 p.m., with 6:45 feast.
Jehovah’s Witnesses, 20912 Laguna Canyon Rd., 1:00 p.m.
Laguna Beach Net-Works, 286 St. Ann’s Dr., 10 a.m.
Laguna Presbyterian, 415 Forest Ave., 8:30 & 10 a.m.
Neighborhood Congregational Church (UCC), 340 St. Ann’s Drive, 10 a.m.
United Methodist Church, 21632 Wesley, 10 a.m.
St. Catherine of Siena (Catholic), 1042 Temple Terrace, 7:30, 9, 11, 1:30 p.m. (Spanish), 5:30 p.m. There are 8 a.m. masses on other days and Saturday 5:30 p.m. vigils.
St. Francis by the Sea (American Catholic), 430 Park, 9:30 a.m.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 428 Park Ave., 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Unitarian Universalist, 429 Cypress St., 10:30 a.m.
