Even though Lent is a time set aside by the church for you to slow down, spend time in prayer and to connect with Jesus, that doesn’t mean you’ve been able to do all you wanted to.

If you’ve maintained the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of Lent, I’m happy for you.

However, I think Lent is supposed to be something we fail at and perhaps next year you challenge yourself to something a little bit harder.

It’s supposed to be a time when sin is acknowledged, when you come in union with Christ’s suffering and, like Mary, you fall at Jesus’ feet.

She falls at Jesus’ feet, not out of reverence and honor but because she is exhausted, tired and weak.

Mary has just buried her brother and she knows if Jesus would have been there, Lazarus wouldn’t have died because she believes Jesus would have healed him.

She is emotionally drained from all the sorrow she carries, so she falls down at the feet of Jesus to surrender it all to him.

This is what Lent is about; taking the sorrow and pain and sin to the cross, to Jesus so He can get rid of it once and for all, then rise up in new life.

When you feel like you’ve been turned inside out and put back right, then you’ve had a productive Lent!