Few religious rituals prompt more water cooler conversation than the idea of giving up something for Lent.
Fasting for Lent originally was meant to profoundly connect Christians to Jesus’s struggle against temptation from the Devil. Some early church fathers specifically envisioned a connection between Lenten fasting and lust. (Click here to learn why Saint Thomas Aquinas believed eating beef cause “a greater surplus available for seminal matter.”)
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Is this making a mockery of the great traditions? I don’t think so. It’s tough to argue that giving up chocolate is more Biblical than giving up Facebook. The point is that you give up something that gives you pleasure – and ideally something that’s become an integral part of your daily routine. That way, you create a hole in your schedule and a sense of longing – and consciousness. The first step is becoming aware.
But many spiritual leaders urge going deeper. Father Thomas Keating refers to it as a 40-day “divine therapy” retreat, which will bear great fruit if you spend some of your chocolate-free time on meditation and prayer.
Others suggest you should not only break a habit but use that moment of reflection to do something good for the world. “Leave your cell phone turned off during the day this week,” suggests the Mennonite Mission. “At the end of each day, donate $1 for each voice mail you’ve received.”
The Church of England has called on Christians to try a “carbon fast.” No, they don’t mean avoid eating charcoal; they means avoid using excess electricity. For instance, decrease the heat (or increase the air conditioner) by 10 degrees and then donate the money you’ll be saving to charity.
Lent can be about “giving something up” but ideally it’s about connecting with your faith on a deeper level.
Complete Lent Resources and Ideas
What is Lent?
Adapted from The Wall Street Journal Online
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