Taking Philippians 3:13b Too Far

In Saint Paul's letter to the church in Philippi, he writes in 3:13b, "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead...." Hmmm. Allow me to take that verse way out of context in order to make a point.

This morning I had to stop at a local grocery store to pick up some milk for my wife, who was making some Fat Tuesday goodies for our Mother's Morning group at the church. The store was selling paczkis in droves, and everyone who purchased even one was given a free strand of beads. I couldn't help but think of the wild celebration that is Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, in many places around our country, around our world. How beads are often given freely, usually to attractive women, usually with the hopes of, well, of some sort of "offering" in return. I couldn't help but think of the drunkenness and partying and hoopla that surrounds Mardi Gras and other celebrations tonight. Having recently moved to Michigan from near St. Louis, Missouri, I can attest that the Soulard area downtown by the Arch can throw together a Mardi Gras bash that rivals a lot that New Orleans can offer. Lots of beer. Lots of flashing. Lots of people doing lots of things that I'm fairly certain Fat Tuesday was never intended to promote.

I think we've taken the "forgetting what lies behind" portion of the Philippians verse a bit too far. We've lost the Shrove Tuesday aspect of the Lenten preparation, the desire and willingness to prepare ourselves for a season of refreshment and refinement that, to be sure, demands sacrifice, but also comes with great joy and peace.

We need to remember what has been. We need to honor the past. We need to listen to the wisdom of days gone by. And we need to learn from the roads we've trod. And yes, we do it all to help us move with greater confidence, greater purpose, into tomorrow and the bright vistas the Lord is opening our way. But we as Christians ought to be people who know why we do what we do.

Fat Tuesday is more than a day to indulge our gluttony and foster our bad habits one more time before Lent. It's a time to reflect upon what really satisfies, upon what really matters in this life. It's a time for us to take stock of our souls, and do the hard work of allowing the Holy Spirit to shape them into the image of Jesus.