Lent – a ritual
Many have written erudite books on the tradition of Lent in the Christian Church. Ohers will write and deliver powerful sermons on the subject. Many whose spiritual framework is the Christian religion will remind themselves of the story of Jesus fasting for forty days and forty nights. Few will fast for forty days and forty nights or even skip a meal for forty days. Yet many of us attempting to use the Christian framework to grow spiritually or to return ourselves to ourselves, as Father Boyle has phrased it, will attempt to perform some ritual during this period of lent which will daily remind us that change often feels like a sacrifice. Some may give up desert. Others may give up some or all television time. Still others may give up nicotine, caffeine or that morning donut. Giving up any of these may actually be more of a gift than a sacrifice. One might feel somewhat or a lot better. Yet. no matter, what behavior one “sacrifices” for 40 days it may initially feel very uncomfortable. Most will sacrifice what was unhealthy for us. One might then ask, “If one gives up something unhealthy, can it be considered a sacrifice?”
In Matthew 4: 1-2 Jesus is led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In modern parlance one might say, “Daily we are tempted to judge others while ignoring or rebranding our own unkind behavior, to self-righteously claim more than our share, to avoid accepting responsibility for our past actions, to abuse our bodies with too much unhealthy food, alcohol or other drugs, to puff ourselves up with costumes which prove our greater worth or in other ways to avoid or deny our humanness and our interdependence.
Every human I know - this human is no exception – easily gets off centered. We behave in a way which disrespects our sacredness and the sacredness of others. We forget to laugh at our silliness and to daily welcome home the prodigal child which is us. Often, we avoid the primary purpose of the ritual of lent because we have mis interrupted sacrifice as denying ourselves rather than returning to ourselves. We become the child who is feeling judgmental and resentful because it seems the prodigal child is loved and appreciated more than the martyred self. We refuse to open wide our arms and run to greet ourselves with a hug and a kiss. We think only of sacrifice and forget the Grace – the unconditional love – which we will celebrate as Easter.
What will l let go of this Lenten season? Perhaps I can let go of the burden of some of the ways I run from myself and instead turn toward myself with a welcome hug and kiss.
Written March 7, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
Many have written erudite books on the tradition of Lent in the Christian Church. Ohers will write and deliver powerful sermons on the subject. Many whose spiritual framework is the Christian religion will remind themselves of the story of Jesus fasting for forty days and forty nights. Few will fast for forty days and forty nights or even skip a meal for forty days. Yet many of us attempting to use the Christian framework to grow spiritually or to return ourselves to ourselves, as Father Boyle has phrased it, will attempt to perform some ritual during this period of lent which will daily remind us that change often feels like a sacrifice. Some may give up desert. Others may give up some or all television time. Still others may give up nicotine, caffeine or that morning donut. Giving up any of these may actually be more of a gift than a sacrifice. One might feel somewhat or a lot better. Yet. no matter, what behavior one “sacrifices” for 40 days it may initially feel very uncomfortable. Most will sacrifice what was unhealthy for us. One might then ask, “If one gives up something unhealthy, can it be considered a sacrifice?”
In Matthew 4: 1-2 Jesus is led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In modern parlance one might say, “Daily we are tempted to judge others while ignoring or rebranding our own unkind behavior, to self-righteously claim more than our share, to avoid accepting responsibility for our past actions, to abuse our bodies with too much unhealthy food, alcohol or other drugs, to puff ourselves up with costumes which prove our greater worth or in other ways to avoid or deny our humanness and our interdependence.
Every human I know - this human is no exception – easily gets off centered. We behave in a way which disrespects our sacredness and the sacredness of others. We forget to laugh at our silliness and to daily welcome home the prodigal child which is us. Often, we avoid the primary purpose of the ritual of lent because we have mis interrupted sacrifice as denying ourselves rather than returning to ourselves. We become the child who is feeling judgmental and resentful because it seems the prodigal child is loved and appreciated more than the martyred self. We refuse to open wide our arms and run to greet ourselves with a hug and a kiss. We think only of sacrifice and forget the Grace – the unconditional love – which we will celebrate as Easter.
What will l let go of this Lenten season? Perhaps I can let go of the burden of some of the ways I run from myself and instead turn toward myself with a welcome hug and kiss.
Written March 7, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
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