Celebration of the Mundane is my project during Lent 2025. As with the tradition of Lent, even though Lent is a time of fasting and repentance, Sundays during Lent are feast days. In keeping with this tradition, I will not be posting devotions on Sundays. Instead, allow me to share some personal reflections.

When I decided to move forward with Celebration of the Mundane, I was apprehensive—not because I doubted that this message is one the Lord would like our churches to hear. We need to return to the mundane. This is especially needed in American churches, even more so in Chinese churches, and exponentially more in Chinese American churches. My doubt was not whether the message is timely; my doubt was whether I am the right person to teach it.

Those who know me would no doubt say, “Yeah, right, Kai?! What do you know about being mundane? You’re an MIT guy. All your life, you’ve been in the spotlight. Easy for you to say!”

I completely agree—it is simply hypocritical for me to talk about living a mundane life. I am as far from mundane as most Asian American high-tech professionals. I attended prestigious schools from a young age (St. Paul’s Co-Ed, MIT, Gordon-Conwell). I received the best of the best education. I work a comfortable job in a high-tech company. I have “SUCCESS” written in block letters on my forehead.

Therefore, I approach this project for my own benefit. Call me a hypocrite—and I will readily agree with you. Celebration of the Mundane is my reflection, my confession, my repentance. I need to learn these lessons as I attempt to teach them. If I am further from the mundane than most people, then I need these lessons more than most people.

May the Lord have mercy.