Walking the Pilgrim Way of Lent

Dear Friends,

Ironically, with a chocolate treat in one hand and my other madly writing I have been exploring Lent for the last three weeks in preparation for walking it with you. I was reminded mid-bite that my favorite “give-up” for Lent as a child was chocolate. Occasionally I would even be so bold as to give up teasing my brother. However, I knew that was a sacrifice doomed to failure so after a while I stopped trying.

Rooted in these practices of giving up something, and taking on something is the old spiritual discipline of fasting. Fasting was not a punishment, rather when you wanted clarity in your relationship with God it was what you did, along with praying to understand usually where you had gone wrong, to listen more acutely to what God is saying, and you are not hearing. Those are among the reasons for fasting.

The church offers two days a year during which fasting is specified as spiritual discipline, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. How we fast is not specified, although generally it is assumed that some portion of the day is spent not eating by intention. Water is allowed and recommended.

In walking with my siblings in faith who are Muslim and who observe a strict daytime fast during Ramadan I have learned a great deal about the spiritual and moral clarity that comes with quiet and intentional fasting. It was walking with them that helped me to leave behind the old “giving something up for Lent” language, and instead approach this time in prayer and discernment, and wonder about what God was trying to say to me, and how I could practice being a better person in the image of Christ.

That’s the invitation to all of us to fast from those things that keep us from the God who loves us, never walked away from us, the God who sent us Jesus, one of us, and fully of God. What ever your fast may be this Lent may it lead you ever closer to God.

God's peace and keeping,

Mary +