With Lent upon us, I began thinking about the burden of being an Irish Lutheran. Several of my friends and I get together for coffee after school on Wednesdays. The email went out on Tuesday, "Coffee"? I replied with a certainly but have to leave early to go to Ash Wednesday services for ashes and repentance. That I am just miserable sinner and thank God for grace, a guarantee that I won't be roasting marshmellows in the hereafter. A reply came back that Catholics beat Lutherans in the guilty category for they repent for sins they didn't even know they committed.
We gathered for coffee, enjoyed some time together. I stood up and said I had to leave for services and everyone else left as well. On the way home, I began to think about the special burden I have as an Irish Lutheran. As an Irishman, I am prone to melancholy. Norwegians may say it can always be worse, the Irish are certain it is.
We Irishmen have the inherent weakness of keeping our demons around our necks. Being Lutheran keeps the noose of demons tightly around my neck. But there is a bright spot in being Irish Lutheran...the Irish have great voices and it's not a Lutheran service unless you sing and sing alot...a great combination. Welcome to Lent.
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