Lenten Thoughts

I have a friend who told me that she was taking up failure for a Lenten discipline this year because it's very liberating.

I wish I had thought of that.

I had a conversation with some people at Grace about the practice of taking on a Lenten discipline. I find that many people treat it like a New Year's Resolution. They decide to give something up like coffee, smoking, chocolate, drinking or eating to excess; or they decide that they ought to do something more like exercise regularly, read a particular book, or develop a particular good habit. I think that these are all worthy causes, but I struggle with the point of a Lenten discipline and the intention or reasons for a person to take one on.

Lenten practices and time frames have existed for a long time. Initially, catechumens (converts to Christianity) would fast the 40 hours that Jesus was believed to be in the tomb in preparation for their entrance to the church. This was then extended to 6 days before Easter to symbolize the 6 weeks of training for the new initiates. It was at the council of Nicea (325 CE)that the 40 days of Lent were officially established. With later edicts by the Roman Church, everyone was encouraged to fast the 40 days of Lent in solidarity with the catechumens - and for their own spiritual renewal.

Fasting takes many forms. The most historical that I could find was to refrain festivities and from food: all animal products, eating only one meal a day. There are many different permutations of fasting: One meal a day; One large meal a day, with two smaller meals (where the sum of these meals cannot be greater than the large meal); No meat products, but allowances for dairy and eggs; Vegetarian or Vegan diets only; Abstinence from meat and poultry on specific days; etc. In almost all cases, children are exempt from fasting (under 18) and abstinence (under 14).

The purpose of Lent, however, is one of preparation and spiritual "newness". We are to be vessels, open to God's love and mercy, open to being known and loved by a God who never stops loving. We frequently use a segment of scripture to capture this, Joel 2:12-13: "Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing."

Tradition shows that the original Lenten practice was to prepare the believer—through prayer, penance, repentance, alms giving, and self-denial. Coupled with this was the desire to learn and know about Christ and the church.

The Protestant churches have seen a growing interest in Lenten disciplines over the ages, although some more interested than others. Many give up something they consider to be a vice, and others take on a new charitable action. And we arrive back at my initial struggle. Is it enough to give up something? Is it enough to take on more? For me, the answer is 'no' - because the intention of the practice is the important thing. It is a time of preparation and spiritual renewal. It all goes back to Joel: the outward action must be coupled with the 'rending' of a heart. It is the realization that God knows that I am a sinner and loves me entirely despite all my vices and bad habits, or lack of good habits. God knows me to the smallest cell in my body and loves me as I am. Do I truly believe that? And do I trust that God forgives me? Do I understand that Christ journeyed to the cross to show how amazing this love really is?

So, embrace failure. It is who we all are. And believe that God knows and loves us. Failure and all.

I hope it's liberating.