Is not this the fast that I choose:
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?
I am sure that like me, you have been horrified by the coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As my wife noticed, the images of refugees fleeing Putin’s onslaught bear an uncanny resemblance to the images of refugees fleeing the Nazis.
All of this is occurring during Lent, one of the holiest seasons of the Christian calendar. Lent, traditionally, is a time of self-denial and it is customary to give up something that you enjoy (popular choices include chocolate, coffee, smoking, etc.). This form of fasting, as well as other spiritual disciplines, are intended to prepare the believer for the great celebration of Easter. The Eastern Orthodox Church refers to the 40 days of Lent as a season of “bright sadness.”
Orthodox priest and theologian Alexander Schmemann describes this “bright sadness” as “the sadness of my exile, of the waste I have made of my life; the brightness of God’s presence and forgiveness, the joy of the recovered desire for God, the peace of the recovered home” (Great Lent). In the sad and penitential season of Lent, there is the brightness of hope: hope in resurrection, hope in renewal, hope in transformation.
One bright thing amidst the sadness of the Russian invasion has been to see the Polish people embrace and welcome the Ukrainian refugees into their homes. One family has taken over a dozen people into their modest home. Why? As the husband says, “where would they have to go if we don’t take them in?”
It’s impossible to hear these words and not be reminded of God’s words recorded in Isaiah:
Is not this the fast that I choose…to bring the homeless poor into your house?
There is nothing wrong with giving something up for Lent; in fact, it can be quite a helpful spiritual experience. But, the question we need to ask is: how does this help my neighbor? If your fasting or whatever spiritual discipline you decide to follow does not help you to look outward (as in the list from Isaiah above) and see to the needs of your neighbor, then you have to wonder how worthwhile it is. Fasting, like prayer, should always lead to action. Too often in prayer we ask God for something and expect God to magically make it happen. These last few weeks I have been praying for peace in Ukraine. But, I feel that God’s response has been, “Peace. Great. Let’s work on this together. I will be right alongside you.” We are, after all, God’s hands and feet.
In light of all of this, I have been considering what to give up or add this Lent. In terms of adding, my wife and I are following a daily walking devotional with other members of our congregation. In terms of giving something up, this quote by Richard Rohr gave me the idea of giving up being overly critical:
The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better.
While it would be great to be healthier and less critical, I just do not feel that it is enough. I want to practice the better. I want to choose the fast that God desires and I want to continue it throughout my life. Obviously, I cannot do this on my own. It is going to require some divine help. The good news is that this help is always on offer. Jesus said,
“Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
God is always with us. Even in the bright sadness.
Divine Overtones 