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Lent

I don't like it. There is no point in lying. I hate giving up things. I don't like the Cross--even a tiny sliver of it--any more than anybody else does. The truth of the matter is that I am pretty decadent, when we get right down to it.

I was trying to think of an analogy. How do I experience God's mercy and justice? I'm a bit like the Israelites, who betrayed the Lord while waiting for Moses. When I say that I like wicked sinners, it's not piety; it's equal parts holy love, and flat-out recognition. I experience the call to conversion and repentance like a voice from another world, as if there are two of me, and only one will respond.

I know that my better self will find holy joy as these days pass; this other me is only grudgingly on board with this thing. That's just the way it is.

I do know that I will cry on Maundy Thursday, as the Lord is removed from the tabernacle, and no Mass is celebrated until the Easter Vigil. It's a great suffering, and I hope it will speak well of me on the last day.

I don't have much to say about the evangelical Lenten brouhaha, except to say that Trueman can dig his heels in all he wants; he's still begging the question, in this respect: he is assuming the Reformed rejection of Lent is correct. It is in fact an ancient practice. If this ancient practice is not in accord with the will of God, then the ancient Church did not do the will of God. Ligon Duncan is willing to bite that bullet; why not you, Trueman? Well, because it would show all this "Reformed Catholicity" stuff to be the ad hoc nonsense that it is. To appeal to the ancient Church is to appeal to an hermeneutic of continuity that the (alleged) truth of Reformed distinctives does not allow. It's time to choose.

 That is, you cannot consistently appeal to a Church which betrayed the gospel, as you see it. If you say that the ancient Church did not betray the gospel, then nor did the medieval Church, and the "Reformers" have nothing to reform. A vicious little logic circle, or a virtuous one, as you like.

Either way, have a fruitful Lent, everyone!
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