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In the Gospel of Matthew for Ash Wednesday (Matthew 16:1-6, 16-21),
Jesus is counseling his disciples on the need for a humble practice of
personal piety. The purpose of practicing piety is to move closer to the
heart of God, not to show off for fellow Christians. Jesus offers three
examples of how to practice this piety. These three examples form a
sturdy three-legged stool that makes a good place to sit for Lent:
Alms-giving, Prayer, and Fasting.
Jesus begins by saying, "Whenever you give alms, do not sound a
trumpet, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so
that they may be praised by others." Notice that Jesus says, "Whenever
you give alms..." Not, "If you decide to give alms..." The assumption is
that alms-giving is...well...a necessary spiritual discipline that is
not a matter of choice. Further it is not a discipline that is done in
order to show off. In fact, the secrecy of its execution probably adds
to its spiritual benefit. What kind of alms-giving will you make your
Lenten discipline? Maybe a dollar a day to your favorite charity? Maybe
an item a day to your local food pantry? Maybe a few minutes a day to
someone who is lonely and needs your friendship? It's not a matter of
if, but when.
Jesus goes on to say, "Whenever you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the
street corners, so that they may be seen by others." Again, note that
Jesus assumes not if you are going to pray but when you are going to
pray. Christians are expected to pray, and Lenten disciplines are
incomplete without some attention to prayer. And as with alms-giving,
prayer is not a showy discipline but a matter between God and the one
praying. What can you do during Lent to deepen your conversation with
God? And once again, not a matter of if, but when.
Finally, Jesus counsels his disciples, "Whenever you fast, do not
look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as
to show others they are fasting." Once again, the admonition is when,
not if. The practice of self-denial helps to deepen one's prayer life.
For some people, fasting, in the earlier understandings of the word (not
eating food), is medically counter-indicated. But if we think of
fasting as self-denial, it can be the giving up of something upon which
we have come too dependent. The point of fasting is to remind us of the
source of provision for all of our needs - God alone. Some people fast
from social media during Lent. Some fast from saying unkind words or
engaging in gossip, disciplining themselves to put money in a jar each
time they catch themselves slipping. Imagine the church deficits that
could be righted with such a discipline!
The most important thing about Lenten disciplines is that they draw
us more closely into the heart of Christ. The prophet Isaiah (as he
talks about fasting) calls us to a spirit of humility, but also to
action:
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
The kind of fasting, praying and alms-giving to which we are
called is a discipline of justice and reconciliation...a kind of
discipline that gives life and gives it abundantly. What is your Lenten
discipline? If we engage in this discipline faithfully, listen to the
promise that Isaiah foretells:
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in. (Isaiah 58:12)
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in. (Isaiah 58:12)
Can you imagine a world where ruins are rebuilt, foundations
established that can be trusted, breaches repaired and streets restored?
With heartfelt blessings, I wish for you a good and holy Lent, one that
draws you and others closer to God.
Bishop Susan
Click here for a printable PDF of Bishop Haynes' reflection.
