Today is the second day in a row of no school here in our parish and throughout most of our community because of winter weather. Even though we got nowhere near the 6-8 inches of snow predicted, there was enough ice to make the roads slick.
Having these snow days at the beginning of the season of Lent has me thinking - really, there is a good connection between snow and Lent, or more precisely, between snow days and fasting. Typically, the practice of fasting (which is one of the three traditional practices of Lent, along with prayer and almsgiving) is thought of as not doing something (like not eating) or giving up something (like chocolate). Likewise, snow days are most often thought of in the negative - not having school or scheduled meetings. However, as Isaiah 58 reminds us, the type of fasting that pleases God is one that takes our negatives and turns them into positives; e.g., taking the free time gained from giving up television and using it to visit shut-ins or study Scripture. Likewise, the best use of a snow day can be one that takes a negative and turns it into a positive; e.g., using the time of cancelled school or meetings in order to catch up on other tasks or to give more attention to our spiritual practices.
As a priest, I have always loved snow days because they give me a break from the hustle-and-bustle activity of parish life in order to get caught up on the busy-work that always seems to pile up. This week has been no exception; my to-do list is quickly shrinking, and I have been able to make good progress on a variety of tasks and projects. Now, I am certainly looking forward to the return of school and parish activities, but in the meantime, we have to try to make the best out of whatever situation we find ourselves in.
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