The Coffee Hour: Shrove Tuesday Edition

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. (Why does it seem like Christmas was just last week?). That makes today Mardi Gras or, for the Anglos among us Shrove Tuesday. It's a weird day. Psychologically the Christian is gearing up for the solemn season of Lent, and part of that preparation seems to be going a little crazy today with the excuse that starting tomorrow we're going to all be sober and pious for the next six weeks. I don't know that it always works out that way, but the excuse seems to be a good one. It's not only in New Orleans that people go off the leash a bit today. This link to Chambers Book of Days points out some of the pre-Lenten high-jinks customary even in Protestant England.

On another subject, I've been thinking more about Cathleen Falsani's Friday column on the movie "The Big Lebowsky" and the subsequent development of the philosophy/religion of Dudeism.

Okay, Dudeism is "full jest and half earnest," but there are certain precepts that strike me as oddly Lutheran. I mean, we might not want to include these in things the kids have to learn in confirmation class, but I can see Brother Martin perhaps expounding on them in a "Table Talk," or leaving notes about them in his unpublished "Lesser Catechism." (Surely there must be one somewhere.)

Eight Commandments from the "Duderonomy."
1. Thou shalt always use fresh creamer when preparing the sacrificial beverage. (To The Dude, this is a "White Russian," but we Lutherans know the real sacrificial beverage is coffee.) To ensure its freshness, it must be sniffed and even sampled before purchase. If it is unclean, put it back.

2. Ideally half-and-half shall be used in preparing the sacrificial beverage. Failing this, milk, and under the most dire of circumstances, non-dairy creamer.

3. Never trust wealthy, successful people you hardly know who want to employ you to engage in shady undertakings.

4. Freedom is great. Many young men have died face-down in the muck to protect our freedoms. Nevertheless, one should still be courteous and keep their voice down in a family restaurant.

5. Sometimes not having an ethos is an ethos in itself. Usually it's a bad one, though.

6. Though the man in the black pajamas, death, might be a worthy adversary, you should avoid him whenever possible. Especially if he's so easily avoided. Choose instead to cling to the tree of life.

7. Just because you're bereaved doesn't make you a sap. Keep your wits about you, even when you're bummed out.

8. Take 'er easy for all the sinners of the world, dude. Abide. And amen.

I also think "abiding" is a Lutheran thing. But we call it "faithfulness." It's about hanging in there, even during the interim or when the new pastor obviously doesn't know squat about anything or when there's a new hymnal in town. It's about trusting that no matter how messed up things appear to be (or really are), they're still in God's hands--and better in Hers than yours.

BTW, I haven't seen "The Big Lebowsky," but now I'm going to have to add it to my Netflix list.

And speaking of movies, don't miss Jim M's recommendation in his comment to may last post, about "Cars."

Oh, and Jim, thanks for the kind words about TCH. Don't worry. I'll keep posting. It may be another form of faithfulness.