My Dear Sisters and Brothers at Christ Church,
As a child Lent was the time of year when the priest told us we couldn’t do anything fun. My classmates at St. Monica’s School and I tried to give up things we enjoyed, like soda, sugar, chocolate or television. I had a vague sense that since Jesus suffered, I should suffer in solidarity. As an adult I turned away from that theology of vicarious atonement and thought of Lent as a season to try doing something positive. I tried to read more, to exercise more or get myself to church every Sunday. This attempt to add something good to my life seemed better for my soul. And then Holly and I had children, and the thought of adding something new to my to-do list seemed overwhelming. If anything, I needed to do less in life. To my surprise, I returned to the idea of giving things up, but my theological rationale was quite different. I didn’t seek suffering for its own sake. Rather I started thinking about trimming back the branches of my life that were no longer bearing fruit. I like the idea of making room for new life by letting go of some things that took energy, but were no longer life-giving. It turns out that I have a long list of these things: Too much alcohol, too much caffeine, too much sugar, too much processed food, too much time on Facebook, etc. I can’t tackle these all at once. Studies show that change is more effective when you start small and manageable, and gradually build momentum. So, during Lent this year, I’ll be cutting out alcohol. I just want to remind my body who’s in charge around here, and make some room for new life.
As we enter the Season of Lent I hope that you find something positive to practice, or let go of something that’s no longer bearing fruity in order to make room for new life. Don’t try to do too much and don’t be too hard on yourself. God bless you.
-Stephen