Lent

February 26, 2020

Having been raised independent fundamentalist Baptist, Ash Wednesday was frowned upon as being “too Catholic” for a born-again Christian. Were it not for seeing the occasional student with a black smudge on their forehead, we barely even knew it existed. I did sometimes wonder how one could wash their face in the morning and miss a big spot on their forehead. Even once I learned what was going on, we were taught that such things were evidence of making a show of piety, something expressly forbidden by Jesus in Matthew 6. 

It wasn’t until years later that I began to understand the value of the spiritual discipline of Lent. Of course, it’s always possible to engage in such things mindlessly, but that was probably more likely in years past than today. Back then, such observances were much more likely to be a matter of rote habit; in today’s milieu, it is more likely to be countercultural. One must be willing to stand out as a bit of an oddball to walk around with the sign of the cross on their forehead.

I’ve come to appreciate the Christian season of Lent—40 days of sacrifice to prepare for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Each year, I’ve spent time considering what I might give up for these 40 days. I’ve given up coffee, but it really wasn’t much of a sacrifice. More of an inconvenience, as Linda and I love our times of coffee and conversation in the evenings. She says it isn’t the same when I mix up a cup of Postum or tea. And since I don’t really miss it, giving up coffee doesn’t really do much to help me focus on growing in my faith. 

Last year, what really made a difference was my fasting from social media. It was tough at first. I didn’t realize how automatically or regularly I checked news articles through the day. When I quit, it felt like I was in a news blackout, uninformed about what was happening in the world. I learned however, that even after 40 days abstinence, I really hadn’t missed much. But I got back in the habit, and now it’s time to rein it in. I’m actually looking forward to these next 40 days. I plan to use the time I have been spending online to read and pray more. A spiritual discipline isn’t engaged just to be able to say “I’ve done it,” but to get closer to God. That’s my hope and my expectation. I’ll be giving up online time, but it won’t be a sacrifice; it will be a blessing for which I will give thanks.