Reclaiming Lent

We need Lent . . .
 
Traditions are the vehicles by which faith, values and the fundamental sense of
what is really important is passed from one generation to another. 
The effort to keep Christian and pagan traditions separate is a continuing struggle for
Christians. Traditionally, Lent has played an important part in this struggle.

Originally a season of fasting and penance for new converts preparing for baptism on Easter Eve, Lent is a period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter.
Sundays, days when fasts could be broken, are not included in the 40 days.
The 40 days of Lent correspond to Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry.

When Christianity became the state religion of the Roman empire in the fourth century, the foundation of the church was endangered by throngs of new untutored members. Identification with Jesus through the lenten fasts and practices of self-renunciation was meant to counter the paganism of these new converts. 
Lent became a time of re-commitment; a time to ward off the threat of assimilation into the popular culture.

As in earlier days, Christians today are threatened with becoming a part of the popular culture. In fact, assimilation has already occurred to such a degree that it is hard to tell what differentiates Christian faith from popular culture.
The popular celebrations of Christmas and Easter are poignant reminders of this dilemma. In addition to the annual Easter clothes, card, flower and candy blitz, attempts by business to make Easter a "Second Christmas" has spawned an Easter-oriented toy industry and a massive live-animal business, with millions of rabbits, baby chicks and ducks sold each year.
"What happened on the third day?" asked one church school teacher to a group of preschoolers one Easter morning. "The Easter bunny brought eggs," was the immediate and unequivocal reply.

We need Lent! Lent encourages us to look within ourselves to see how we have confused popular cultural values with Christian faith. 
Through a sustained focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, Lent can help us resist the pressures of this culture. Lent can remind us that we are called to continue his ministry:
"As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21). Consequently, Lent prepares us for an Easter that is more than bunnies and eggs, an Easter when we celebrate God's great act in raising Jesus from the dead.
 Adapted from a piece published by Alternatives no longer published.

Let No One Suspect

Jesus warns against us doing all pietistic acts in public:
when you pray, go off by yourself and shut the door – and by the way, stop using all those empty phrases.
When you give alms – do it in secret, don’t even let one hand know what the other is doing.
When you fast – that is to say
when you work to break the chains of injustice,
or to get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
or to free the oppressed,
or when you share your food with the hungry,
or when you invite the homeless poor into your homes,
or when you put clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
or when you are available to your own families –
do it on your own time.

These are not things you seek publicity for.
These are not things you should call attention to.
For sure, these things are to be done –
but do it under the radar.
Wash your face and comb your hair.
Let know one suspect.

I think it is clear that we need to pay more attention to these admonitions.
This is essential to the faith that has been passed on to us.
We can choose to ignore it – to our peril.
Or, we can take it to heart and spend these 40 days in Lent to deepen our faith and how it impacts our life – who we are and what we do.

Fasting has nothing to do with diet.

Time and time again the prophets and Jesus reminded people in the past –
and reminds us today –
fasting has nothing to do with diet.

Of course, it is a lot easier for us to think that.
But, Micah tells us, Jeremiah tells us, Jesus tells us – what Isaiah tells us:
"The kind of fasting I want is this:
Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free.
Share your food with the hungry
and open your homes to the homeless poor.
Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear,
and do not refuse to help your own relatives.”Or, as one translator puts it:
"This is the kind of fast day I'm after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.
What I'm interested in seeing you do is:
sharing your food with the hungry,
inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
being available to your own families.”

Time and time again, folks went astray and thought fasting had something to do with diet –
self-deprivation was a whole lot easier to deal with than what the prophets and Jesus said God has in mind.
Fasting has to do with living your faith –
putting flesh on what you say you believe –
enacting your belief.

Lent: Instead of Giving Up Something

Take Time for A Time Out - a sermon

Lent is a fascinating time in the church year that Presbyterians are only beginning to appreciate.

The main purpose of Lent is to encourage us to take a time out.

We are told that before Jesus began his ministry he took a time out.
He went off by himself – for 40 days – and 40 nights.

Jesus must of thought that this was completely necessary for him to do.
He did this to get his head right,
to get more completely in tune with God’s will and purpose for his life.

For centuries the church has said it was important to remember what Jesus did here,
and it important for us to take a time out as well.

Jesus took 40 days for his time out,
the church said we should take 40 days each year before Easter for our time out –
a time out from the routine of our regular normal life to consciously focus on getting our heads on right,
to get more in tune with what God is concerned about and wants for us to do with the rest of the days of our lives.

Lent is a fascinating time in the church year that Presbyterians are only beginning to appreciate.
Used to be, as you know, we never observed Lent in Presbyterian churches.
But, today we see this time as an opportunity to attend to the parts of our lives that we often neglect.
During this time before Easter we are challenged to open ourselves in new ways to the Spirit’s transforming power – not unlike Jesus did at the beginning of his ministry.

From the very earliest times, Christians took time out before Easter to reflect on their faith, cultivate it, and prepare for a most joyous celebration of Easter.

Remembering that Jesus took 40 days off to prepare for the beginning of his ministry, the church sets aside these 40 days prior to Easter for us to get ready.

This is a time for us to explore the mysteries of the universe,
looking beneath the surface –
within ourselves –
examining our own motives and desires,
and ascertaining exactly what our commitment is:
to what,
to whom,
and what it means.

Lent is meant to remind us that the days are getting longer now –
Spring is right around the corner here in the Northern Hemisphere.
Actually, the word Lent comes from an ancient word that meant "springtime," –
that period of the calendar during which the days lengthen.
Because the church season always fell at that time of year, the name came to apply there as well.

Although we can’t readily see it buried under 2 feet of snow, all around us new life is preparing to break out as the weather turns.
Signs of life are preparing to bud right before our eyes.
And, our task during this season is to prepare ourselves to see these signs when they occur.

Like I have said before, I believe we need Lent!

Lent encourages us to look within ourselves to see how we have confused popular cultural values with Christian faith.
Through sustained focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, Lent can help us resist the pressures of this culture.
Lent can remind us that we are called to continue his ministry:
“As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

Consequently, Lent prepares us for an Easter that is more than bunnies and eggs –
an Easter that begins a whole new reality –
a whole new world.

As you know, 40 days is almost a sacred number with strong Old Testament associations.
40 days seems to be a long time when you think about it.
[It is more than the 30 days we get to accept the special offer of the day that is in our daily mail.]
It seems that God is saying:
“take up to forty days to decide –
40 days to make up your mind –
which side are you going to be on.”

The Gospels say Jesus was given 40 days to decide whose side his life would be spent on.
40 days to come to a decision to align with God or accept the worldly enticements of the Devil that would have derailed his mission.

40 days seems to be God's time for allowing significant decisions to be made.
Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days getting the 10 commandments.
Elijah spent 40 days in the wilderness encountering God.
An extended time was given people of Noah's time to make up their mind before it rained for 40 days and 40 nights.
The 40 days of Lent gives us sufficient time to make up our minds again:
to decide for life – or death,
to decide for God – or the ways of the world
around us.

For me, when we get beyond the familiar outward trappings, the main purpose of Lent is to encourage us to take a time out.

For us with our total dependence upon clocks and schedules and appointments and meetings and deadlines, taking time for a time out is probably the most difficult thing any of us could be called upon to do.

And yet, here it is.
The call goes out each year during this time before Easter,
and our response is usually no more than an acknowledgment of a quaint – if not somewhat ancient, antiquated tradition – that we may give a passing nod to in church,
but having very little to do with anything in our home, or at work, or how we spend our time.

Most of the days of our lives we are pretty much self absorbed in our lives and our obligations and our health and perhaps in the caring for another or two or three or four or . . .

We live in response to stimuli from outside of ourselves.

Lent calls us to take time for a time out from all of that.

Take time now – just commit to only 40 days – this time leading up to Easter –
take time each day to focus on something other than on what we usually spend our time on.

It is important to take the time.
Jesus did it.
Moses did it.
Isaiah did it.
Many many others did it.
And, today many many others are doing it.
You can do it as well.

Traditionally, Biblically, there are some specific things we can do with this time,
but it what we do is of less importance than to commit to taking the time –
to get closer with our God.

The pattern is,
the experience is,
the promise is,
that when we do,
we become more aware of God’s presence
and more aware of God’s purpose
and more aware of what we are to do with the rest of the days of our lives.

And, of course, that’s the scarey part, isn’t it?
Because we’re not sure we want to discover that we should be doing something we aren’t doing, right?

For years I have been compiling a file of stories of people who after a time out,
changed the direction of their lives because it became clearer to them that this is what God would be having them do.
It’s a thick file containing many many stories.
Someday it would be worth sharing in some way just to see the stories one after the other after an other after an other.

Taking time for a time out can have a powerful affect on a person.
Norman Vincent Peale – and many other preachers – was convinced that by taking time out to concentrate on certain scripture lessons, folks could experience a power and wholeness and wellness that they never knew possible.

Of course, I think that, too.
Each Sunday between now and Easter, I will be focusing on specific practices that have proven to put us more in tune with the ultimate power and purpose of the universe.
Aligning our lives with the moral direction of the universe is probably the most primal of all our activities –
and that is something we cannot do with a compass or a clock.
It is something we can only do in a community like this one.

For your sake, each day during this time before Easter, take time for a time out.
And be here next week as we explore certain practices proven to lead us in the right direction.
Amen.

This is a portion of a sermon delivered from the pulpit of Christ Presbyterian Church in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, on February 28, 2010, by Clyde E. Griffith.

LENT: Doing Kosher Acts of Faith

When Jesus addressed the crowd about correct methods of righteousness, everyone knew what he was talking about.

They knew about the three legs on the stool of righteous living.

These days we don’t like to read this passage –
the only time it is brought up in the Lectionary is for Ash Wednesday services.
So folks that never go to Ash Wednesday services never have an occasion to hear this in church, unless their pastor is somewhat eclectic in his or her approach to Scripture.
But, we need to hear these words.

He said: “It is good to put the disciplines of godly living into practice.”
Jesus assumes you will be praying – and even tells you how.
Jesus assumes you will give alms.
Jesus assumes you will fast –
But, he warns about making a show of things when you do these acts of faith –
these acts of godly living.

In fact, Jesus says it is not kosher to do faith acts for show.


Check out the sixth chapter of the Gospel According to Matthew.

How to Celebrate Lent - According to The Lord

From the book of Isaiah, Chapter 58:


7)  What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry

7)  I want you to provide shelter for homeless, oppressed people.

7)  Give clothes to those in need

7)  being available to your own families.

9)  Don't mistreat others

9)  Don't falsely accuse others

9)  Don't say something cruel or ugly to another

9)  get rid of unfair practices

9)  quit blaming victims

9)  quit gossiping about other people's sins

10) be generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,

13)  treat Sunday with respect by refraining from your normal activities,
    and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals

13) treat the Sabbath as a day of joy

13) make Sunday a day of celebration

Our Lenten Song: To Help You Prepare for Easter

Just A Closer Walk With Thee
WYNTON MARSALIS & JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA 
Municipal House, Prague, July 10, 2013

It's Lent: 11 Ways to Appropriately Observe Lent

11 Ways to Appropriately Celebrate Lent  -  according to Jesus


1.   Make certain you do not perform your religious duties in public so that people will see      what you do.        (Matthew 6:1)

2.  Wash your face and comb your hair. (Matthew 6:17b)  

3.   Do not put on a sad face. (Matthew 6:16)  

4.   When you pray, go to your room, close the door. (Matthew 6:6)

5.   When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words. (Matthew 6:7)

6.   When you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it. (Matthew 6:2)

7.   When you help a needy person, do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.        (Matthew 6:3)

8.   Your heart will always be where your treasure is.  (Matthew 6:21)  

9.   Do not worry about tomorrow.   (Matthew 6:34) 

10. Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?   (Matthew 6:27)

11. Be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what God requires of you.

       (Matthew 6:33)

 http://www.newcelebrations.com/11ways.html

Get Ready for Lent: Sharing Our Resources

From the beginning, part and parcel of the Lenten observance has been alms giving. 
The purpose of fasting is not so much a bodily discipline as it is a sharing discipline.  Becoming aware of the needs of others, and responding to them with generous gifts of our time and talents and money are particularly transforming.

During this season, many of our Presbyterian Churches will be emphasizing our One Great Hour of Sharing as a concrete way of self-sacrifice for the needs of others. 
The discipline of a daily gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing jar is a concrete way of focusing our thoughts on our individual purpose for living.
It becomes an expression of the faith we proclaim. 

Get Ready for Lent: Remember to Take Time to Take a Time Out

Lent begins March 1.
Lent encourages us to look within ourselves to see how we have confused popular cultural values with Christian faith.  

We need Lent!

From the very earliest times, Christians took time out before Easter to reflect on their faith, cultivate it, and prepare for a most joyous celebration of Easter.

Remembering that Jesus took 40 days off to prepare for the beginning of his ministry,
the church sets aside these 40 days prior to Easter for us to get ready.

This is a time for us to explore the mysteries of the universe, looking beneath the surface – within ourselves -- examining our own motives and desires, and ascertaining exactly what our commitment is: to what, to whom, and what it means.

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days.
For 40 days he lived without food or, presumably water.
For 40 days he confronted his demons.
For 40 days he prayed.
For 40 days he communed with his God.

Suffice it to say, upon completion of his 40 days in the desert, Jesus had a clearer picture of his purpose in life,
of his reason for being,
of his God-given mission.
And he embarked on his course of demonstrating the reign of love on earth.

Traditionally, the church has set aside these 40 days prior to Easter as a time for personal reflection toward discovery of our purpose and renewed commitment to our faith.

Many cultures make a lot over the fasting nature of these 40 days.
Carnival is celebrated in many parts of the world the day before Lent begins as the last chance to eat meat for 40 days!
In this country Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans on “fat Tuesday” – the day before the 40 day fast begins.

Today, we see these 40 days as an opportunity to attend to the parts of our lives that we often neglect.  We are challenged to open ourselves in new ways to the Spirit’s transforming power.

Because Presbyterians rebelled against all things Catholic, Lent was never celebrated in most Presbyterian churches until  recent years.  But, Lent is such a rich time.
It is an excellent opportunity for us to really focus on things that matter.

Lent is meant to remind us that the days are getting longer –
Spring is right around the corner.  
Signs of life are preparing to bud right in front of our eyes.
And,  we need to prepare ourselves to see these signs!

We need Lent!
Lent encourages us to look within ourselves to see how we have confused popular cultural values with Christian faith.
Through a sustained focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, Lent can help us resist the pressures of this culture.
Lent can remind us that we are called to continue his ministry:  "As the Father has sent me, so I send you"  (John 20:21). 
Consequently, Lent prepares us for an Easter that is more than bunnies and eggs,
an Easter that begins a whole new reality – a whole new world.

From the beginning, part and parcel of the Lenten observance has been alms giving. 
The purpose of fasting is not so much a bodily discipline as it is a sharing discipline.  Becoming aware of the needs of others, and responding to them with generous gifts of our time and talents and money are particularly transforming.

During this season, many of our Presbyterian Churches will be emphasizing our One Great Hour of Sharing as a concrete way of self-sacrifice for the needs of others. 
The discipline of a daily gift to the One Great Hour of Sharing jar is a concrete way of focusing our thoughts on our individual purpose for living.
It becomes an expression of the faith we proclaim. 

Get Ready for A Radical Lent: Fasting and Feasting

Fast from fear;
     Feast on faith.
Fast from despair;
     Feed on hope.
Fast from depressing news;
     Feed on prayer.
Fast from discontent;
     Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger and worry;
     Feed on patience.
Fast from negative thinking;
     Feast on positive thinking.
Fast from bitterness;
     Feed on love and forgiveness.
Fast from words that wound;
     Feast on words that heal.
Fast from gravity;
     Feed on joy and humor.
Fast from gossip;
     Feast on the Gospels.
Fast from junk foods;
     Feast on the Bread of Life.
Fast from bad news;
     Feast on “The Good News.”
Fast from darkness;
     Feast on the Light.
Fast from the secular;
     Feast on the sacred.
Fast from despair;
     Feast on hope.
Fast from revenge;
     Feast on forgiveness.
Fast from tears of sorrow;
     Feast on tears of joy.
Fast from getting;
    Feast on giving.
Fast from complexities;
    Feast on simplicities.
Fast from horror;
     Feast on humor.
Fast from listlessness;
     Feast on laughter.

Get Ready for Lent . . .

Get Ready for Lent: Suggestions for Fasting (And Feasting)

Fast from fear;
     Feast on faith.
Fast from despair;
     Feed on hope.
Fast from depressing news;
     Feed on prayer.
Fast from discontent;
     Feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger and worry;
     Feed on patience.
Fast from negative thinking;
     Feast on positive thinking.
Fast from bitterness;
     Feed on love and forgiveness.
Fast from words that wound;
     Feast on words that heal
Fast from gravity;
     Feed on joy and humor.

Get Ready for Lent: 100 Things to do for Lent

"Do you realize how soon Ash Wednesday is? Shoot, y’all, it’s time to start praying on what you’re going to do for Lent."

A few years ago,   Meg Hunter-Kilmer posted 100 Things to do for Lent . . .
organanized around the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Peruse for some great ideas for stimulating your observance of Lent this year.

Get Ready for Lent: 100's of Resources for You to Use

Links to hundreds of web pages filled with resources for study, reflection, worship/liturgical preparation, lovingly and thoughtfully compiled by  Jenee Woodward.  

This page should be the preacher’s first stop on the road to worship preparation and planning, as well as the first stop for anyone wishing to find resources for a particular day, season, or scripture.

Check it out.

Get Ready for Lent: A Time to Think of Things Spiritual

Lent begins March 1st

 
Traditionally, Christians have taken time before Easter to think on things spiritual.

Taking clues from Jesus who before beginning his ministry took a 40 day hiatus, the church has set aside this amount of time during this season when the days lengthen to concentrate on how the faith we profess affects the life we lead.

Through the years, people have used different tools to encourage such thoughts. 

Recalling that the Bible says that Jesus fasted for 40 days, many people choose a form of that to help place them in the proper mindset to receive and perceive spiritual thoughts.





The idea of “giving something up” for Lent became a substitute for an all-out fast for Westerners living in an increasingly secular society.

But, we all know that negative behavior in itself does little to stimulate Spiritual thoughts.  And, far more important than giving up something for Lent is a proactive behavior specifically designed to encourage thoughts about our faith and the life we lead.

And, so each of us is encouraged to do something specific during this time before Easter:

    •   read a book,  (Meeting  Jesus Again for the First Time, by Marcus Borg, will certainly  generate thoughts and stimulate conversation with others)

    •  use a daily devotional guide to help stimulate your thoughts, (if you already  use one on a regular basis,  add another specifically designed to stimulate new thoughts for the season.)
 
    • pray (set aside a certain time each day,  or place a post-it-note with the word “PRAY” on your computer or in a prominent place to remind you that the proper time to pray is any time, all the time)

    • do something for others  you  have not done before (perhaps write a note to             people on  your Christmas card list –  just think what the recipient  will think  when they hear from  you from “out of the blue”,   so to speak)

    • Come to church every Sunday  until Easter 

Whatever you choose to do, I encourage you to choose to do something during this season. 

You will find your faith stimulated and your life enhanced.

This season, this Lent, can be of tremendous significance to you – if you let it, if you participate in it.

Get Ready for Lent: 40 Acts of Generosity

Let begins March 1st. 

This year, do Lent differently, 
     do Lent courageously, 
          do Lent generously. 

Stretch your faith and change your community.
One day at a time.
One act at a time.
 
Try the 40 Acts challenge on for size: for yourself, your family, you congregatiion.

Get Ready for Lent: Alternative WorshipResources

Nearly 50 Links and articles collected by Simple Living - the folks formerly known as Alternatives and Alternatives for Simple Living, publishers of the Alternative Christmas Catalogue, Whose Birthday Is It Anyway?, And various publications promoting alternative celebrating.


Check it out.  There are resources for personal and corporate worship, devotions, family and group celebrations, Holy Week  and Easter observances.

http://bit.ly/2llcTH6

Reclaiming Lent

We need Lent . . .
 
Traditions are the vehicles by which faith, values and the fundamental sense of
what is really important is passed from one generation to another. 
The effort to keep Christian and pagan traditions separate is a continuing struggle for
Christians. Traditionally, Lent has played an important part in this struggle.

Originally a season of fasting and penance for new converts preparing for baptism on Easter Eve, Lent is a period of 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter.
Sundays, days when fasts could be broken, are not included in the 40 days.
The 40 days of Lent correspond to Jesus' 40-day fast in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry.

When Christianity became the state religion of the Roman empire in the fourth century, the foundation of the church was endangered by throngs of new untutored members. Identification with Jesus through the lenten fasts and practices of self-renunciation was meant to counter the paganism of these new converts. 
Lent became a time of re-commitment; a time to ward off the threat of assimilation into the popular culture.

As in earlier days, Christians today are threatened with becoming a part of the popular culture. In fact, assimilation has already occurred to such a degree that it is hard to tell what differentiates Christian faith from popular culture.
The popular celebrations of Christmas and Easter are poignant reminders of this dilemma. In addition to the annual Easter clothes, card, flower and candy blitz, attempts by business to make Easter a "Second Christmas" has spawned an Easter-oriented toy industry and a massive live-animal business, with millions of rabbits, baby chicks and ducks sold each year.
"What happened on the third day?" asked one church school teacher to a group of preschoolers one Easter morning. "The Easter bunny brought eggs," was the immediate and unequivocal reply.

We need Lent! Lent encourages us to look within ourselves to see how we have confused popular cultural values with Christian faith. 
Through a sustained focus on the life and ministry of Jesus, Lent can help us resist the pressures of this culture. Lent can remind us that we are called to continue his ministry:
"As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (John 20:21). Consequently, Lent prepares us for an Easter that is more than bunnies and eggs, an Easter when we celebrate God's great act in raising Jesus from the dead.
 Adapted from a piece published by Alternatives no longer published.