“Goodbye Alleluia” and Other Pre-Lent Vibes

We sung this cool hymn (fully pictured below) at evening prayer that was essentially about saying “goodbye” to the alleluia on the last day before Lent begins.

The third stanza about how “Alleluia cannot always be our song while here below” is a great prelude into Lent and its mysteries of Christ’s journey to Jerusalem and the Cross filled with persecution along the way and ultimately His passion and death. It’s also a stark reminder of all the trials of this life and how “there’s a time to mourn” and “a time to die.”

In light of recent events, it seems that even the whole world has gone into a “Lent” of its own already as it is paralyzed with fear at what might happen next due to the all to pervasive sinful folly of man.

There’s even a Catholic tradition from the old days that some still do now that involves literally burying huge wooden sign with “ALLELUIA” inscribed upon it leading up to Lent. All of this will be signaled tomorrow for us as we stop singing out “alleluia” and fast from even this joyful acclamation for a time as we sit in ashes and wait.

Hope it’s been a happy last day before Lent. Hopefully we didn’t get too “fat” on this Fat Tuesday. Either way, Lent will help us drop the extra “weight” of worldly attachments and our sins.

Have a blessed Lent, y’all.

Let’s get to work.