Lent

This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
   to break the chains of injustice,
   get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
   free the oppressed,
   cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
   sharing your food with the hungry,
   inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
   putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
   being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
   and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
   Then I, the God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, I will answer.
   You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'  

-- Isaiah 58. 6-9 from The Message

Yesterday, my youngest child asked me what we were giving up for Lent this year. I almost laughed that they think I'm the one who sets the Lenten rules... but it made me realize that maybe I've been going about Lent all wrong if that's what they think. They were fishing about for whether "we are giving up chocolate this year." Well, personally, I am because I like to have some sort of special discipline leading up to Easter, but I think I need to sit down with my family and read the little passage above, and decide what this Lent business is really all about.

I don't think Lent is supposed to be about giving things up as much as it's about changing our hearts... and our thinking, turning our lives around. So tonight at supper, we'll discuss how we might go about reducing injustice, exploitation and oppression this Lent. And maybe we'll talk about a little reflection someone gave me on fasting and feasting several years ago:

Fast from judgement, Feast on compassion
Fast from greed, Feast on sharing
Fast from scarcity, Feast on abundance
Fast from fear, Feast on peace
Fast from lies, Feast on truth
Fast from gossip, Feast on praise
Fast from anxiety, Feast on patience
Fast from evil, Feast on kindness
Fast from apathy, Feast on engagement
Fast from discontent, Feast on gratitude
Fast from noise, Feast on silence
Fast from discouragement, Feast on hope
Fast from Hatred, Feast on love.

I suspect this, too, is what God wants.

And if you're looking for a little Lenten inspiration, there's always the Pray As You Go link on the sidebar....