Editor’s note: Amos is a church mouse, unable to use the keyboard shift keys and unschooled in the art of punctuation. With Fat Tuesday’s Mardi Gras coming back to life in New Orleans this year, the Lenten season has taken on new prominence. This week, Amos recalls when he first learned about Ash Wednesday. the big deal about lent boss a lot of the big bugs and little mice around here in the church pew underworld are roaming about with what looks like smudged plus signs painted on their foreheads i don t understand it at all says me to my friend freddie the flea those aren t plus signs says he to me they re the sign of the cross of repentance faith and humility boss it seems that last wednesday was ash wednesday the start of the season of lent and pastor leroy beetle put those ashen cross signs on the foreheads of all the believers who came forward it was a moving ceremony boss i kept waiting to see if anybody s face caught on fire but nobody s did you re supposed to give up something for lent says freddie to me like what says me something that s a sacrifice something that costs you something that you want changed in your life like a job or your underwear says me no no silly says he to me you change things like bad habits or give up sins that multiply like rabbits - i know says me i ll give up mousetraps or cats quite willingly no no amos that s not right you ve got to sacrifice says freddie otherwise it s fruitless it s no dice what s the one thing above every other thing that makes your heart sing when you think of that thing and boss i couldn t help it i looked right at my last crumpled up cheetos bag no no says me not my cheetos i can t live without those they re better than doughnut holes you need to give them up you see says freddie to me they re taking the place of jesus priority in your life heart and memory you ve set your affection on cheesy puffs of air rather than the lord of hosts so fair which will it be says he the cheetos god or jesus the son of god the whole point of lent freddie says to me is to repent and change your ways then follow jesus all the rest of your days and boss he was right the purpose of lent is to model the life of jesus that s what frees us he didn t give up things so much as he gave up himself to die for me and all he wants from me is for me to give up me repent of my iniquity receive him in humility experience his grace and generosity as well as his mercy peace and tranquility amos