Much Ado About Lent

This morning, I was listening to a news podcast. The journalist was saying the latest statistics show that 3 out of 5 Americans say they feel; isolated, misunderstood and lonely. That's over 50 percent! Think about that! That's a lot of people! How many of the people you know, personally, feel that way? Do you know? Are you able to identify them? And what does this have to do with Lent, anyway?... Hold these thoughts and questions, we will come back to them.

How's your Lent going? We've just completed our second week of Lent and I'm willing to bet some of you are struggling, or maybe even feel like you've already failed. Maybe you had decided to give up chocolate or sweets for Lent and someone tempted you with a banana split and you ate the whole thing. Or maybe you tried to give up internet, but you have felt desperate to follow the events in the Ukraine and so you've been accessing the internet... So much struggle, so much suffering and guilt! For what? So many of the people I know see Lent as a time of introspection, a time to be sad or stoic, a time to struggle and suffer. Really! Is it any wonder we "observe" Lent, rather than "celebrate" it?! I wonder where we get these mythical ideas? There really ARE better ways. Lent CAN be celebrated. You really can be as excited and creative in celebrating Lent as you do Christmas. I promise you, it's true. Cheerfully, I hope you will let me challenge these ideas and attitudes surrounding Lent. I hope you will go forward from this message excited and inspired to be creative with the 32 days we have left until Easter. 

First of all, let's take a brief look at what Lent really is supposed to be comprised of. Lent is a church season based on three pillars; prayer, fasting and almsgiving. That's it. That's all. Simple, right?... Maybe. Maybe not. 

If you find yourself bored in prayer, talking and feeling like the words don't go any higher than the ceiling, what can you do?... Find a better way to pray, find a better way to commune with the One who is madly in love with you. How? Some people find reading a holy book or watching a religious movie to be prayer. Others know that the YHWH, name of God, is actually representative of breathing sounds. So, for them, sitting quietly in mediation and observing their breath, being One with the Creator is the best prayer. For still others, their actions are their prayers. So, they walk little old ladies across the street, they serve up food in the soup kitchen, they teach high school drop outs how to read, etc... Prayer isn't about words, it's about a state of giving your heart to the Divine Mystery and immersing yourself in that love. Get creative with it, be curious, have fun - make it something to look forward to.

Fasting... This can be about giving up all food, or just one particular type of food. Some people give up coffee and take the money they would usually spend on that coffee and give the money to the poor. Fasting AND almsgiving in one fell blow. Pretty cool idea, if that's your thing. Personally, I think I might die.. But we can fast from cussing. We can fast from the internet. We can give up all kinds of things. What's the point though? And how do we find a way to celebrate giving up something? Well, let me tell you. There's no way to make giving up anything pleasant, but I learned something this year that astounded me. ASTOUNDED me and excited me. My sufferings, first of all, teach me empathy for those who suffer. I've always known that and I try to stay sensitive for that. But more than that, Christ has told us that our sufferings can FREE others, our sufferings can DELIVER others, HEAL others, REDEEM others. I've heard it all my life, but I never understood that before, it was never real for me before. This year, it sunk in and that is the most amazing thing! We read this in, 

Matthew 17:19 - 21; Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast the demon out?" He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard see, you will say to this mountain 'Move from here to there', and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you'. But this kind (of demon) does not come out except by prayer and fasting." 

and also in,

Colossians 1:24 - I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 

Our sufferings are added to Christ's sufferings and his Cross, and as a result our own sufferings help to free others, deliver others, heal others and redeem others. That is power! We play an active part in creating The Good News and that is astonishing. If you can't get excited about that, do you have a pulse?

Finally, almsgiving... Yes, in the most narrow sense, this means giving to charity. And I'm not going to downplay that. But there is more than one way to invest. We can invest our time, our interest,  our efforts, our hearts. And this year? While money is important, because the whole world seems to be suffering, I can think of something much more important than money to give.

This morning, I was listening to a news podcast. The journalist was saying the latest statistics show that 3 out of 5 Americans say they feel; isolated, misunderstood and lonely. That's over 50 percent! Think about that! That's a lot of people! And when we consider that people can often suffer "failure to thrive" or "broken heart syndrome", that people can literally die of loneliness - then it becomes clear, this is also a real epidemic. How many of the people you know, personally and in your own life, feel that way? Do you know? Are you able to identify them?... It is genuine almsgiving and true healing my friends, to reach out and give of yourself to people. Say "Hello", look them in the eye and give them a smile, offer to eat a meal with them and maybe play a game. Ask them how they're doing and make the effort to be Present, to listen and be interested. This may not seem like it's a sacrifice, in fact often, meeting up with friends is a great joy! But that's the point... The point is not always sacrifice and suffering, the point is to become one with Christ, to be the Life-giving Presence of Christ to everyone you meet. And that is something to celebrate, something to be creative with, have fun with and look forward to, something to be excited about. 

Wishing you the best Lent ever, because we're only 2 weeks in and it's not too late. 
Lorie Jo