Fruitful Fasts
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 12:00 PM
The Holy Father’s Message for Lent is out.
It’s a meditation on justice and our need to renew our thirst for it—and be restored to it by grace.
The letter’s publication reminds me I need to think about my program of prayer and penance for this Lent.
There’s nothing wrong with the “usual” penances (giving up sweets or coffee, praying the Stations of the Cross). In the spiritual life, the rule is to do what actually helps you, not necessarily the hardest or most exotic thing, and it’s important to be humble about our actual powers.
But over the years I’ve been impressed—and challenged—by some more imaginative penances, and I thought it might be interesting and fun to share those, in case anyone would like to try something different this year.
Here are three to get us started.
1. Once during college I gave up pants for Lent. Such a fast would cost me nothing today, but at the time it was a huge sacrifice to give up my Drama Major uniform of baggy jeans and oversized shirts (preferably black) and wear a dress and make-up. I chose the penance only because it was hard to make the effort and I wanted to do something dramatic (ahem) for God, but I learned a lot about myself from that experience—including the fact that my personal style had less to do with not being vain (as I thought) and more to do with what we might call self-esteem issues. It would be too difficult to explain how, but that Lent was profoundly healing for me, and removed an internal obstacle to marriage. I look back on that Lent as one of the most powerful and fruitful of my life—and I had no idea what would be uncovered by a simple sacrifice, not even that carefully chosen.
2. Some neighbors of mine chose a really daunting sacrifice last year. They gave up variety. For the entire period of Lent, they ate from a healthy but very limited menu—giving themselves only 2-3 choices for main courses at their meals. They didn’t share with me what interior fruit that bore in them, but I can tell you no one ever enjoyed Easter more!
3. Another pal, a “foodie” and an absolutely marvelous cook, gave up cheese for Lent. She felt the sting of that sacrifice every day, but she also reported that it gave her great joy. Every time temptation struck, she took the opportunity to unite herself to God, with the result that by the end of Lent she felt herself on fire with his love.
Now your turn. What are some unusual—but fruitful—Lenten practices you’ve tried or heard about?
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