Saturday, 25 February 2012

• A New Take on Lent

  By Jonny Craig at Creative Theology
  

  Growing up, there wasn’t a lot of lent-love in the Craig home. Raised Baptist, I mostly (errantly) believed that Lent was a silly form of legalism created by the Catholic church to keep people afraid and in line. With little-to-no knowledge of the early church or even the fact that it’s not just Catholics who celebrate the Lenten season (whaaaaa?!), it was simpler for me to marginalize the belief and practices of others than to be self-reflective.

  Discipline and Reflection

  Over the years, I have become less critical of the practices of others and have personally had my eyes opened to the beauty and value of church traditions like Lent. One area that I’m still underdeveloped in, however, is the ability to be self-reflective, especially in the structured type of way that the Lenten season is carried out. Silence and stillness are two disciplines that I recognize my need for, and long to have, but I still struggle with the process of closing my mouth and opening my ears to God.
  
  When I think about Lent, I think about a somber, silent time filled with self-reflection and confession. This season is a reflection of our God’s human suffering in the wilderness as he fasted from food and community for 40 days. Honestly, I’d rather fast from the food. The amazing part of Christ’s 40 day feat in my mind isn’t that he didn’t eat, it’s that he didn’t go crazy from the silence. In prison, solitary confinement is considered the harshest punishment, but Jesus didn’t crack a bit. Jesus was enjoying the purest community when he had no one around him at all.

  Fasting for Lent

  I know people giving up all sorts of things for Lent. Chocolate, coffee, social media, the list goes on. Unlike my former self, I recognize the value of these sacrifices and believe that my friends and family will grow from the experience of fasting for these 40 days. I am also fasting for Lent, but in a different way. This Lent I’m committing myself to self-reflection and personal, silent time. Fasting from the community of people to seek the community of God. Maybe I’ll journal, maybe I’ll read scripture, I’ll definitely pray, but ultimately the goal will be surrender.

  This is a part of a series of daily reflections on the season of Lent.

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