Some people give up coffee or booze for Lent. Some folks would rather add something to their life for Lent, like a daily prayer or a weekly service project. Either strategy can nudge us closer to the path of Jesus. But what is the purpose of Lent? Is it about denying ourselves? Or is it about deepening our spiritual journey?
Those who give up a daily habit, like TV watching or social media scrolling, will find that they begin to pay attention throughout the day to the inklings of God instead of the barrage of media. Those who add on a practice, may find a spiritual vitality springing forth in their step. But the real goal here is neither denial nor addition. We can’t manipulate God or God’s divine presence.
What if the real goal of Lent is for every step of our lives to be patterned after Jesus? What if the news we consume, the newsfeeds we read, the political conversations we engage in were tinged with the compassion of Jesus? What if the clothes we buy, the sports we play or do not play, the commitments we place on our calendars, reflect the values of the risen Christ? What if our letters to our senators, our votes at the ballot box, our volunteer efforts, or our charitable contributions proclaimed that God created each person in God’s own image?
We in America are really good at rugged individualism. We are experts at segmenting our lives into little boxes called: Faith; Career; Social; Education; Politics; Financial. But Jesus bids us to take up a cross and follow him. Jesus journeys through his life and even to his death with one singular focus – to love God and neighbor. The purpose of Lent is to let the light of God’s love shine through every nook and cranny of this fragile world in which we live. As Frederick Buechner once said, “During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or another what it means to be themselves.” Lent is simply a condensed version of the Christian life – how does the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus get revealed in our common day – every single part of it?
Blessings to you on this sacred journey with Jesus,
Carla
