That Day

It happens to everybody - that day. That day is a day that has been planned for some time. That day is important and busy. That day fits everything in its slot and every slot is filled. That day is doable. That day has been reviewed from all different directions and each contingency is covered. That day even starts out just as envisioned. But somewhere during that day, something goes awry and the dominoes stop falling by the agenda. More likely the schedule explodes and splinters go in all directions. In that day, it is truly a miracle if no innocent person gets hurt.

That day happens. Too often, that day happens in the middle of Lent. Somewhere between adapting to life without caffeine and the arrival of the Easter bunny, keeping faith with earlier pledges becomes impossible. It would only be fair if that day could be clipped out of Lent as easy as taking a pair of scissors to a square on the calendar, but life is not fair (neither is Lent). Snipping away simply leaves a gaping whole in the fabric of time, an obvious dent in the front fender of accomplishment, uncomfortable silence in the radio broadcast that is faithfulness. Ignoring the lapse just doesn't do justice to the broken commitment.

So what to do?

First off, it is important to strike a balance. Just as the individual desire may be to attain a closer identification with Christ's journey and sacrifice, to come closer to the presence of God, so there is a matching desire for intimacy on the divine side. Neither exaggerated guilt or easy forgiveness helps in achieving these goals. The solution must strike a balance between these extremes.

Second, recognize that spiritual practices are like any other activity in a wholesome, God-connected life and they must be subject to the spiritual needs of the moment. They are to a certain extent rigid, making them prone to influence by forces that are beyond our control. After all, as beneficial as useful spiritual practices may be, they are still human endeavors, tools that should be used often, but with care. For they are imperfect, just as everything human is imperfect.

Finally, that day represents an opportunity. As frustrating and disappointing as that day is, it is also a chance to replace ritual with an open mind, to substitute mechanical execution with listening and responding, to evaluate again the promises made and the challenges refused. That day keeps us aware of our inability to control even our best laid plans. That day reminds us of the impossibility of life (or Lent) without sin. That day could be God speaking through worldly pathways. That day may actually be a blessing.

May you accept that day for the blessing that God intends.