I eagerly expect Easter this year.

I mentioned to a friend that I couldn't wait for Lent to be over and he said, "well, that is probably a sign of a good Lent, if you are really looking forward to Easter." I suppose so, but I don't feel that it has been a particularly deep or spiritual sort of Lent. Once again I find that slump in the middle.

You start with Ash Wednesday, and are in a fever for penance and increased prayer and so forth, and then it starts breaking down a little bit: you slip on something you gave up, the first time was forgetfulness, the second time with a little more rationalizing, etc., you realize that you never did add those rosaries you were going to add to the week, the number of mid-week masses has not gone up one iota, at most you are proud that you got some chore done around the house (and almost resisted using that as an excuse for some sort of indulgence or another), and then it hits: two weeks out. Ah yes! Lent. Time to get serious again. And then the practical stuff hits: all of the chores that must be done by Easter and so forth, and those last two weeks start to feel like penance (in my case a big part is my own stupidity in planning, so it is more of chickens coming home to roost than any great devotion to penance).

Anyway, another year, another mid-Lenten slump. Easter is around the corner, and I have to chalk it up as a mixed bag Lent, but knowing that I could have done better. Much better. And that is the worst, because to know that, you have to recognize that you chose the path of indifference (at best) to various graces, and that opens up a whole new can of worms.