What to Give Up for Lent

I intended to write a meditation for the beginning of Lent, but it was earlier this year than it often is. I wasn't watching the calendar very closely and it started without me! So here is what I wanted to share, a little late. (Edited: Oops! Lent does not begin until February 25. My mistake!)

My religious affiliation is not with the Catholic Church; nevertheless, for several years I have found it a helpful spiritual practice to observe the Lenten season with some small form of self-denial. It is not that I feel it is required of me, but something that reminds me specifically and regularly of the significance of the approaching Easter season has been worthwhile. One year it was chocolate; you might be surprised how many times during the forty days of Lent I was confronted with delectable offerings of chocolate! Other times, other things. One especially memorable year, the season was approaching and I was wondering, "What shall I 'sacrifice' for Lent?" I even asked God for an idea. And to my surprise, He gave me one!

"Well, how about your angry feelings?" I need to explain that a situation had developed in the preceding weeks that was very unfair to me and to several others, and there was not a single thing to be done about it. I was angry, no denying that, but I knew that what I felt was really pretty normal under the circumstances. No matter how I examined what had happened, there was just no way to call it right or fair. I was "justified." I don't often carry injustice around too long, but this was just so extreme that it was with me all the time. And so God was suggesting I give up this anger for Lent? I was not sure I could do that, or that I even wanted to!

"Yeah, just suppose I do give it up," I answered with a little heat, certain that God was tricking me. "And then when Lent is over, You know that I probably won't even get it back!"

"No, that's okay. You can have it back if you want it."

With this assurance, I was able to lay the anger down. When it bubbled up again, I would say to myself, "It's only until Easter, then I can be mad again." I quit thinking about the injustice so much, knowing that I could mull it over again later. I began to get used to the feeling of not being so agitated by the situation, and although the way things had been was the way things remained, they lost their acute power over me.

And yes, you guessed it! When Lent was over, I did not want my anger back. God and I had a good laugh! I am thankful that He is so understanding about the human need to have things put right, and I am also glad that He knows what anger--especially concealed, prolonged, unusable anger--does to the body and the spirit. He helped me put aside the "poison" that could kill me--just in time for Resurrection Day!

MaryMartha
(All rights reserved)

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com