The beginning of Lent is coming up a week from Wednesday.  I love the seasons of Lent and Advent because they invite us to a deeper level of reflection, a retreat in the midst of everyday life.  The 40 days of Lent comes from the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert in preparation for his life of public ministry.  It is a time of increased prayer and purification that we find in other religious traditions such as Ramadan and Yom Kippur.  This season gives us an opportunity to move more deeply into practices that are inviting us to deeper commitment and in the process