Why This Non-Practicing Anglo-Catholic Observes Lent

**This is in no way meant to be preachy. I do not believe in proselytizing. It is mostly to help clarify something for myself, more than others.

I was Baptized, Confirmed and married in the Anglican Catholic faith, all by my own choice. My children were both Baptized Anglo-Catholic.

The other word for Anglican is Episcopal. Some lovingly refer to it as "Catholic Lite". It stems from The Church of England, the brain child of Henry VIII (yeah, the crazy divorcing and beheading king). However, the Anglo-Catholic faith in America today is quite far removed from the C of E, albeit still rooted there.

The reason for the "Catholic Lite" moniker is that the rites, traditions, ceremonies, symbolism and basic theology are all very much Roman Catholic, with a few digressions. The two most important differences are that Anglicans do not follow the Pope or the Vatican (the Pope's refusal to grant King Henry an annulment from Katherine of Aragon is the reason he pulled away from Rome) and do not believe in the theory of Transubstantiation, that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. Anglicans believe in a mystical "real presence", instead. Also, Anglican clergy can marry.

Enough of the theology lesson. I became acquainted with Anglicanism when I met Mark, who had chosen to be Confirmed and practice that faith. When we met I was thirsting for spiritual guidance and sustenance, so I explored and got to know it, and fell in love with the pomp and circumstance. I love the rich tradition, symbolism, "smells and bells" and yes, Christianity in general. I have been drawn to Christianity my whole life, without ever being taught to. We attended a church in The Anglican Provence of Christ the King for the 9 years we lived in the Bay Area. However, there is not a church in the same body near our home here in Washington, so going to church has fallen by the wayside, while our Faith has not.

One of the disciplines I came to admire and respect is Lent. It is the 40 days leading up to the most important event of the Christian belief, the Resurrection of Christ, or Easter. Lent is meant to be a time of preparation for this blessed event, a time of discipline and sacrifice, for prayer, fasting and reflection.

Because I believe in who Jesus Christ was, his purpose and what he went through, I feel Lent is kind of awesome. Most people complain about not eating meat on certain days, not going to so many social events, or that it's just plain somber and morbid. I completely disagree. I mean, if anything in the Christian year is somber or morbid it's Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Pentecost.

I appreciate Lent because it's just one small thing I can do to express my faith in God. I am far from perfect! Heck, I don't even attend church anymore. But my faith is still strong, I still pray, I still BELIEVE. My ideas about how to practice faith, as well as what having faith means, have changed and evolved over time, but Lent is just what it is. It doesn't need to change or evolve. The sacrifice made by Jesus eons ago inspires me to make the small sacrifices Lent calls for. It's the least I can do.

So yeah, I'll give up meat on Wednesdays and Fridays, I'll pray more and try to quietly sit and be more reflective. I often also choose something else to give up for the duration. My biggest vices are coffee, wine and desserts. And I've given each one up in years past. I think this year it will be desserts. But thank the good Lord I get Sundays off!

Because God is often something people are afraid to talk about.