Freddy Kreuger’s Lent

Never going away in the battle to be better

Joel 2:12-14

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

          What is the worst thing in the world? Well, if you’re a Catholic, you might answer that the worst thing in the world is a “mortal sin.” Why? Well, we believe that if you die with a mortal sin on your soul, you will go to hell. And that’s pretty bad. But I think there’s something even worse than a mortal sin, namely, discouragement, giving up the struggle to be good. Have you ever felt like giving up in the battle to be better? Don’t worry, I have felt that way, too.

          Nick Saben, the coach of the Alabama football team, once made this crazy comment: “What makes Freddy Kreuger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can’t get rid of that guy. He never goes away.” Do you recall Freddy Kreuger, the ugly serial killer who shows up in your dreams? Coach Saben was telling his players never to give up, to be resilient and relentless, to “never go away” in a football game. That’s one thing that makes the Crimson Tide a great football team, and also why they’re so ugly.

          This is one of the great lessons of Lent: don’t give up in the battle to be better. For 40 days we’ll make some sacrifice or do some charity or pray more. But does that mean that after 40 days you’ll be perfect and never do anything wrong again? No. There’s no perfection on this side of the grave. That’s why we receive ashes on our foreheads today: to remind us we’ll only be perfect after we turn to ashes, after we die. One great saint said, “We’ll stop struggling with lust only 6 minutes after we’re in the grave.” So, what is the point of Lent? It is part of the battle to be better; that is, just try to be a little better by Easter than you were on Ash Wednesday. Like Coach Saben said, “never go away,” never give up.

          This Lent instead of giving up chocolate or chai latte or Cheerios, pick a sin you’d like to work on overcoming. Maybe it is lust and watching inappropriate things on the internet, or maybe it’s criticizing and complaining, or maybe it’s being lazy and a couch potato, maybe you need to tame your temper. And for 40 days be like a dog with a bone in the battle to be better. You’re not going to be perfect by Easter – you’ll only be perfect after you turn to ashes – but that’s doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. “What makes Freddy Kreuger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can’t get rid of the guy. He never goes away.” My friends, “never go away” in the battle to be better.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!