Lenten Disciplines

During our Ash Wednesday Services the celebrant always says, “I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” (BCP p. 265).

When you first read that list, it certainly doesn’t sound like something in which you would readily want to participate. Most of us would prefer to go to the movies, out to dinner, or to spend time with our friends. Perhaps that’s why churches see more people at the Pancake Supper than at the Ash Wednesday Service. But as you consider that list of Lenten disciplines, we might also consider another quote from the catechism of the prayer book: “Redemption is the act of God which sets us free from the power of evil, sin and death.”(BCP p.849). For me, that quote is particularly helpful in this time of Lent. It is helpful because it reminds me that the point of examining and repenting from my sin is not because I deserve the torment of having my sins thrown in my face, but rather because I deserve the great JOY that comes from receiving the redemption only found through believing in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Being redeemed means knowing that God has removed my sin. Through redemption, God has taken away those things which once blocked our relationship and the result is an increased feeling of His presence in my life. And that joy, which redemption brings, is not the same kind of joy I get from eating pancakes or going on vacation. Rather the joy that comes from my renewed relationship with God is much fuller, deeper, and powerful.

So as you think about Lent this year, my encouragement to everyone would be to embrace those often uncomfortable disciplines of our faith so that by working with them you might receive the greatest joy imaginable. No one knew that truth quite like, Peter Chrysologus, a bishop of a town in upper Italy around the 5^th century. I will leave you with a quote from one of his sermons where he is speaking about the necessity of prayer, fasting, and showing mercy to others:

There are three things, my brethren, which cause faith to stand firm, devotion to remain constant, and virtue to endure. They are prayer, fasting and mercy. Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives. Prayer, mercy and fasting: these three are one, and they give life to each other. Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. Let no one try to separate them; they cannot be separated. If you have only one of them or not all together, you have nothing. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others you open God's ear to yourself. When you fast, see the fasting of others. If you want God to know that you are hungry, know that another is hungry. If you hope for mercy, show mercy. If you look for kindness, show kindness. If you want to receive, give. If you ask for yourself what you deny to others, your asking is a mockery. Therefore, let prayer, mercy and fasting be one single plea to God on our behalf, one speech in our defense, a threefold united prayer in our favor.

~ from a sermon by Peter Chrysologus, bishop