Lent begins next Wednesday. I’ve been thinking about what I can do to make this season meaningful
I was raised Christian and grew up observing Lent. It wasn’t quite the same as watching my Catholic friends avoid meat during Lent, but I knew it was an important season. For a long time, I thought it was just about giving something up, but when I was in high school I was introduced to the idea that Lent could also be a time to “take something on.”
For a few years, I began keeping a gratitude journal during Lent, writing down my “good gifts” of every day (James 1:17 and also All Good Gifts from Godspell– being my sources of inspiration for this practice.) That practice has spilled over into other areas of my life outside of Lent and continues to be a practice that Nathan and I share together.
The last few years I’ve gotten into the practice of listening to Godspell at the beginning of the season. If you know me, there’s a good chance you know how much I love this 1970s musical by Stephen Schwartz, not just for its catchy tunes and clown costumes, but because Godpsell is based on the Gospel of Matthew. It’s a powerful way for me to remember the story of Jesus’s life, from John the Baptist crying in the wilderness “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,” to the crucifixion and resurrection (though the ending of the play has sparked controversy).
Godspell invites us into this story. Godpsell typically ends after Jesus dies, though some directors will choose to have a reprise “resurrection” scene. Schwartz himself says this to clarify the theological conundrum,
“Over the years, there has been comment from some about the lack of an apparent Resurrection in the show. Some choose to view the curtain call, in which JESUS appears, as symbolic of the resurrection; others point to the moment when the cast raise JESUS above their heads. While either view is valid, both miss the point. GODSPELL is about the formation of a community which carries on JESUS’ teachings after he has gone. In other words, it is the effect JESUS has on the OTHERS which is the story of the show, not whether or not he himself is resurrected. Therefore, it is very important at the end of the show that it be clear that the OTHERS have come through the violence and pain of the crucifixion sequence and leave with a joyful determination to carry on the ideas and feelings they have learned during the course of the show.”
What a call to action, to show that “others have come through the violence and pain… and leave with joyful determination.” As a Christian trying to follow Jesus, this is the kind of compelling call I want to respond to with my life. I believe in the resurrection and believe there are important theological implications for the resurrection of Jesus, but I also love the Schwartz is calling our attention to not only look to Jesus, but to look in the mirror. It’s almost as if he’ssaying “don’t stop at ‘saved by grace,’ keep going. Let your life show that you’ve gone walking with Jesus. (Side-note: Faith vs. works is waaay too big a topic to tackle in this blog. Shout out to my Lutheran friends who know what I’m talking about. I know I’m oversimplifying this, so hold your horses for a later post.)
The disciples in Godspell are depicted as silly, slightly lost, clownish, normal everyday misfit people. If we forget that the Gospels are about God coming to us in human form so that he could be right alongside side us in all of our imperfection, I think we’ve missed the point of the Gospel. I love that Godspell reminds me of this. It helps me reflect on the significance of the story of Jesus’s life and death. When I listen to Godspell, I can hear myself in the story.
So, what is Lent really for? I googled “What is Lent?” and I got the following results.
“While Advent is a celebration and a time of great anticipation, Lent is more frequently seen as a time of solemn observance and preparation for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. From its start on Ash Wednesday until its conclusion on Easter Sunday, Lent has been a traditional time for fasting or giving something up or abstinence. Just as we carefully prepare for events in our personal lives… Lent invites us to make our minds and hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ life, death and body resurrection.”– From https://40acts.org.uk/about/what-is-lent/
“For six and one half weeks, Christians around the world will prepare themselves spiritually for the celebration of their highest Holy Day: Easter. Many of them will make personal sacrifices, focusing through these long days on the sacrifices Jesus made as he set his face toward Jerusalem.” – From https://www.ucc.org/into_the_mystic_lent
Why do we give things up? Why do we take things on? I’ve shared a few of my past practices, but what is the real purpose?
Each year, I find that I need to be more honest with myself about the areas of my life that really need attention, and they aren’t the same year to year. Some years I struggle to be grateful. Some years, I struggle with feeling far away from God.
At this moment, I have allowed my life to become too cluttered, full, and too carefully orchestrated. If Jesus came walking into my life, I’d immediately go to my calendar and say, “I can pencil you in in two weeks, Jesus. I have a window next Thursday from 6-7pm. Will that work for you?”
Kinda sad, right?
One of my (many) pastors posted something on social media a few weeks ago. She wrote something to the effect of “Do not mistake sloth for laziness. Sloth doesn’t mean not doing things. Sloth can be the person who is so busy and schedules their life so completely, that they leave no room for thoughtful contemplation and reflection on their own life.”
Yikes. You got me.
If you read my previous post, you may remember that I’ve been struggling with cutting back on my commitments.* Part of this realization came from this pastor sharing an expanded definition of “sloth.” She’s all the way in New Jersey, but thanks to her continued prophetic voice on Facebook, her comment did spark some internal reflection for me. I find that I’m tired at the end of most days. I put so much energy into just project managing my time, that sometimes the most satisfying part of my day is crossing off the day on the calendar. I get a little rush of relief when I realize “Phew. I made it.”
That is no way to live. How can I expect to nurture a spiritual life if my greatest relief comes from just getting through the day?
I’ve decided that this new season of Lent is the perfect time to try something new: giving up making plans.
I don’t fully know what this will look like. I plan to keep the commitments I’ve made, but not say yes to anything else. I still want to make time for friends and family, but I may not get to everyone. I have a hard time feeling that I am letting people down when I don’t commit, but too often that leads to over commitment for me. That’s why I so often say “yes” when I don’t really have the time, energy, or spiritual grounding to do so.
I anticipate that this will be one of the more ambiguous practices I’ve ever taken on. I think this one might actually upset some people. I can be decisive, but it actually takes a lot of energy for me to live that way. I’m a Type B spirit conditioned to thrive in a Type A world, but those qualities are not native to my soul, who I am, and how I operate (seriously, ask Nathan about my genetic tendency to run late aka “Jeide time” even though it’s really Rouner time/ forget things/ etc.).
For me, there is a direct correlation between how stressed I am and how much I am able to accomplish. It’s not that the doing causes stress, it’s that the stress actually fuels my frantic energy, enabling me to get more things done.
I think it will be close to impossible to not make any plans during Lent, but I am going to try really hard to say “no” so that my “yes” can be full and complete, and my attention can stay where it is most needed, on God, on the Holy Spirit, on Jesus.
While giving up chocolate during Lent is admirable (seriously, it is), I think that what God really desires of us is our attention, especially in a world as over stimulating as ours. If Lent is a time to prepare my heart for contemplation and reflection, then I commit to leaving space open for the Holy Spirit to chime in.
If you observe Lent, whether it is through gratitude, Godspell, or giving it up, I pray that this season can be meaningful for you. I pray that it may be a time of turning inward, so that you can be outward more deeply. I pray that you will “see more clearly, love more dearly, and follow more nearly… day by day.”
If you are taking on or giving up a practice for Lent, I’d also love to hear about it.
*I recognize that being able to participate in activities that add value to my life is a privilege. This is meant to be an honest admission of where I’m at, but I recognize that there are people who are exhausted because they are trying to survive.
From a Seeker 