To Keep Thy Lent

          It’s gotten downright old-fashioned to ask, What will you be giving up for Lent? The enlightened view of the contemporary church is that such things as giving up meat for the 40 days are quaint, and not recommended as ends in themselves. Trouble is, as often happens, we have thrown out the outer wrappings without really uncovering the gift inside—the spiritual gift which is Lent.

          Lent begins on March 1 (Ash Wednesday), when we will have a simple soup supper at 6:30 and worship at 7:30, welcoming some members from the Presbyterian Church of Waltham. The period leading up to Holy Week is a time to seek to do some heart-cleansing returning to the basics of our faith, loving God and loving neighbors.

          Robert Herrick, a poet of the 17th century, captured this strikingly in a poem called To Keep a True Lent:

Is this a Fast, to keep
the larder lean?
And clean
From fat of veals and sheep?
Is it to quit the dish
of flesh, yet still
To fill
The platter high with fish?
Is it to fast an hour,
Or ragg’d to go,
Or show
A down-cast look and sour?
No: `tis a Fast to dole
Thy sheaf of wheat
And meat
With the hungry soul.
It is to fast from strife
And old debate,
And hate;
To circumcise thy life.
To show a heart grief-rent,
To starve thy sin,
Not bin;
And that’s to keep thy Lent.

          Let there be among us sharing of wheat and meat; fasting from strife and hate; and starving of sin…these, plus the knowledge that Jesus, who gave his all for us, is also the One who beckons us forward toward Easter joy; this is keeping Lent!

Peace,

Rod