This is the first full week of Lent. It has been wonderful to browse Facebook and note all the various ways people remember our Savior's 40 days in the wilderness and all the myriad attitudes toward the season.
Here in Colorado, it is a gloomy time of year, for us. Many days we have beautiful sunshine and brilliant natural beauty. But suddenly a cloud will descend over our slope of the mountain and obscure our usual view. Spring winds are dangerous and upsetting to one's mental attitude. Over the rest of the world, winter seems to have gone on too long. The snow is dirty and lumpy, and it reminds one of Narnia--winter without Santa.
Lent became more widely practiced as the persecution of Christians abated in the third century. Of those who believe it is unscriptural, may I dissent.
The Lord endured a 40 day fast. Therein it is scriptural. We should imitate him, although few of us could physically endure it.
Further, we don't have the luxury of being along in a desert without food or water. We are surrounded by plenty, most of us. We are located in families with friends. A true fast is pretty hard core for us.
But I do believe that abstinence and fasting are very important to spiritual formation when used with all the other tools given us for the purpose by God.
Lenten abstinence is a moment by moment decision to follow in Christ's footsteps.
It was human practice by the spiritual descendents of the apostles to institute the practice of having a church-wide fast/abstinence 40 day period on the church calendar. In that sense, practicing Lent is something that unites us as Christians. We are doing this together to strengthen our corporate faith. If we sacrifice something such as meat, alcohol or sugar as a family, we are in this together.
Naturally, a Lenten fast can deteriorate into nastiness of attitude, impatience, pride or even dishonesty if it is not accompanied by daily prayer, Bible reading and acts of mercy toward others as part of the program. I speak from experience here!
Read the daily offices faithfully, and spend as much time as possible with those on your prayer list. Seek out those in need in your community and provide for them however you can. This is a good time to clean out closets and donate to food pantries, or visit the sick and lonely in your world. Do all this with a happy smile upon your face.
Jesus tells his followers, "When you fast," not "if you fast." Then he proceeds to say we are to look as though we are making no sacrifice at all, because doing so is our reward.
Should we tell others about our sacrifices? I think it depends on one's motivation--is it bragging?--or is it sharing with another Christian who is also fasting in order to help one another?
I think the world would be a little worse for it if the practice of Lenten sacrifice passed into oblivion. It is good to question it, to dissect it, to wonder what Christ means for us to do in preparation for the observance of Easter, the most important day in our yearly calendar.
Ask your spiritual guide, ask your fellow Christians, search your own soul, and check your conscience for your motives. I hope you go for it!