Word to the Wise
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - Ash Wednesday
[Joel 2:12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18]Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments and return to the Lord, your God.... Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in other that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father."
It happens every year. One is asked or one hears folks discussing what they're "giving up for Lent!" The usual list of items appears: food, drink, usually something consumable. Occasionally someone will say they'll contribute daily to the "rice bowl" (those little cardboard bowls that show up this time of year). One would not usually hear someone say, "I'm going to rend my heart and not my garments and return to the Lord, my God!" That kind of response would probably cause a few moments of embarrassed silence, followed by: "Well, uh, OK, if that's what you want...... Moving right along.....(to the next person) What are YOU giving up?" I can't help but wonder if this annual "sharing of sacrifices" isn't the equivalent of performing righteous deeds so others can see them! I don't want to discourage good example, especially if that good example were, please God, to continue AFTER Lent is over! But sometimes Lent becomes the time of convenient asceticism when we give up what we should not be doing in the first place, and it is rarely something in the moral realm such as overcoming a pet prejudice, showing a greater kindness to those with whom we don't get along so well, or developing a new outlet for service to others! True asceticism is something that goes to a change of heart - a really difficult challenge. It must be embraced and sustained. A forty day "inconvenience" that will be dropped with relief at the end of Lent is not really an asceticism! Taking Jesus' teaching about the two greatest commandments: Love of God and Neighbor (as oneself), we might apply them with the prophecy of Joel today and think not just of returning to the Lord, our God, but also to our neighbor in love! A creative Lenten observance that challenges our heart and mind and body and which will result in a change of life - a conversion - is clearly at the heart of the scriptures today and at the heart of the season of Lent! AMEN
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