This week we talk about Lent disciplines and Ted A. Smith's wonderful Christian Century article "Making Lent Difficult."  Somehow thoughts about Lent and ordinary time leech into our converation about this coming Sunday's Gospel, in which we hear the parable of the Prodigal Son.  And speaking of prodigality, Karl feels a little bit prodigal himself when it comes to our discussion of the Lent Madness match-up between Janani Luwuum and Jonathan Daniels.