For some Catholics, today is really a big day. Similar to Good Friday. Perhaps our fascination with ashes is a good place to start thinking about Lent. “Rend your hearts and not your clothes”. Our translation says, “Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn, turn to the Lord your God again”.
Christ in the Gospel mentioned the three religious practices amongst devout Jews. Firstly, it is to give alms. Secondly, it is to pray. Thirdly, it is to fast. Of course, these were spoken of in terms secrecy meaning that one should do these things minus public display. Such a counsel is rather alien to a culture bent on self-promotion. To be fair, self-promotion has always been man’s temptation. It was already there during the time of Jesus as He had preached against it too. Perhaps, it is a matter of degree in the sense that they were simply ostentatious, being a kind of show-off whereas we are just “transparent”; meaning that we are open books for all to see. Since branding is everything and we are hyper-focused on marketing, everything is optics nowadays.
Making a great show of what is being done misses the point of why it is being done. A good example is alms-giving. Politicians, philanthropic clubs, prominent people, etc. engage heavily in charitable causes. Commonly they conduct mock-cheque handing-over photo-sessions to create fanfare for all to see. The question is, what happens post photo-ops? The aftermath is not as important as consciences salved. People can go back to their homes secure that they had done their wee bit and the poor have something to eat or wear.
But alms-giving is more than the usual charity directed to the poor. If we operate from a space of self-sufficiency, the default engagement with the world will be from a position of surplus. I give because I can afford but I do not really need the poor. They are simply objects of my compassion or largesse. Hence,alms-giving has to be broader than giving alms because it symbolises my social relationships. How?
Charity is linked to mercy but mercy is associated with justice. Justice is necessary because we do not live alone. As social beings, justice demands that we owe it to others and not because we have more. Instead, justice is as simple and personal as not stabbing someone behind the back. Or stealing from my employer by not fulfilling my end of the contract. Even words or notions such as personal or private are relational in nature because personal suggests that there is a reality which is inter or extra personal and a private space can only be carved out from a public sphere.
While we are highly social beings, what is personal is marked by our fasting. Thus, the act of fasting denotes the manner in which I take care of my body and soul. What sort of content do I consume from the internet? Does it include the unsavoury stuff? Porn is a sin that afflicts many but because it is so pervasivethat it is accepted as a fact of life. In a culture built upon the principle of consumption, do I over-eat or over-drink? Do I take care of my health or am I overly fearful that I have become anti-social?
Beyond our personal and social realms, we are also spiritual beings. Prayer connects us with God. Sadly, that relationship can be quite utilitarian because we tend to pray only when in need. The central question for us is not who God is. We know who He is. The question is where He is placed in our life. Do I give Him my best or do I leave Him my rest, my left-over?
Before we rush into a shopping list of what to let go of, or what we should give up on, perhaps, Lent is an invitation to be more. Jesus asking us not to look miserable is really an invitation to exude joy. Giving up can be painful, a chore that is tiring because we tend to hoard which raises the question why obesity is a challenge. When we focus not on the giving up but on the being more, then our outlook may change. Our relationships with others can be enriched by an attitude which is not just about giving but also of receiving meaning that we relate to others on a deeper plane rather than superficially. We embrace a healthier outlook in life not because we fear dying but because we honour our Creator by not giving in to crass consumption. Finally we enter into a more intentional presence before the Lord rather than sporadically turning to Him only when we are in need.
In conclusion, Lent is as much a season of seriousness as well as light-hearted joy. The ashes on our heads just tell us that it is time to be serious not just with giving up but also with growing in joyful relationships with others, with ourselves and with God. It is not about doing. Rather it is about becoming who we can be with God, with ourselves and with others.
