Washington's Birthday - For Real

Today, not last Monday, is actually the anniversary of George Washington's Birthday.  When I was little we actually celebrated the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln on the actual days on which they were born.  Then in 1971 Congress passed legislation creating Presidents Day, lumping Washington and Lincoln together and, over time, whiling giving a nod to worthies like FDR, Harry Truman, and Ike, also adding lesser lights like Pierce, Fillmore, and Buchanan who have occupied the Oval Office.  When you think about it, we went from honoring two towering individuals to anybody who has ever been elected to our nation's highest office and thus, in a way, to a celebration of the office itself.  Unintentionally, we went from marking achievement and service to power and position.

What, you may wonder, has any of this to do with Lent?  Well, all of this arose from something called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  The implication of this legislation is that everything needs to be arranged around convenience, order, and predictability.  Perhaps you've experienced or at least noticed this dynamic in other spheres of life, including the religious.  It's a crying shame when that happens because it marks a shift from placing God at the center of our thinking to making ourselves the sun around which all else revolves.

Today, and throughout Lent, don't be led astray by distractions.  Instead, keep your focus on God, to follow the way of Jesus, to let the Spirit be your guide.

P.S. Oh, and, by the way, Happy Birthday, George!

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