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Feasting and Fasting |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 2/6/2008 10:48 AM | Greetings on this gloomy Ash Wednesday,
There could hardly be two more divergent days than Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Where I come from, Shrove Tuesday (or as some call it, Fat Tuesday) is heartily celebrated as the time to load up on all the things that you should give up during Lent: strong drink, fattening entrees, too-sweet desserts, general overindulgence. I grew up in a heavily Roman Catholic area and lots of folks in my neighborhood took both days very seriously! After a night of overindulgence on Tuesday, vows were made that alcohol, chocolate, smoking, swearing, red meat and other pleasures would be given up for the 40 days of Lent. But, hey, the Sundays aren’t counted among the 40 days! So, it was not unusual for folks giving up alcohol and red meat to say things like: “After church, let’s go out for a steak and a drink.” Kind of makes me wonder what the people who gave up swearing said on Sunday. But, I digress.
This juxtaposition of Feasting and Fasting made it clear: Lent is hard. Lent is the time we give up the things we like to do yet know are bad for us. But deep in our hearts, we knew that we could always return to those “bad” things after Lent, as if it was simply an exercise in discipline, not a life change. Well, it is an exercise in discipline, but it is so much more than that. It is a time for us to look inward and ask ourselves how we can do better. How can we become more connected with our brothers and sisters in the world? How can we better serve the world? How can we better serve God? How can we simply become better people?
So, if we are giving up things that are bad for us, why not use Lent as a time to work toward giving them up all together? If we can do it for 40 days, why can’t we do it forever?
One of my favorite Lenten writings (author unknown) is one I have shared before, but it is so good at getting at an alternative meaning of Fasting and Feasting that I want to share it again. Maybe if we follow these suggestions for the next 40 days (and let’s include Sundays, too) we will be well on the way to coming closer and closer to who God who have us be.
True Lenten Fasting
FAST from judging others;
FEAST on Christ dwelling in them.
FAST from fear of illness;
FEAST on the healing power of God.
FAST from words that pollute;
FEAST on speech that purifies.
FAST from discontent;
FEAST on gratitude.
FAST from anger;
FEAST on patience.
FAST from pessimism.
FEAST on optimism.
FAST from negatives;
FEAST on affirmatives.
FAST from bitterness;
FEAST on forgiveness.
FAST from self-concern;
FEAST on compassion.
FAST from suspicion;
FEAST on truth.
FAST from gossip;
FEAST on purposeful silence.
FAST from problems that overwhelm;
FEAST on prayer that sustains.
FAST from worry;
FEAST in faith.
For a complete list of upcoming events and an updated prayer list, go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
Announcements:
The Annual Brookhaven Christian Church/Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church Ash Wednesday Service will be tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the OPC sanctuary. Please come and join in as we begin our Lenten Journey with a service of repentance and prayer that will lead us into 40 days of introspection and renewal.
The Gardening Club is meeting immediately after worship in the fellowship hall this Sunday, February 10th. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry of the church, drop by!
Please contact me by return e-mail, or Debbie Kinney at debbie@brookhavenchristian.org if you have not signed up for the In-Home Bible study kicking off with a dinner this Sunday at 6:00 in the fellowship hall. Please let us know by tomorrow (Thursday) so the proper amount of food can be ordered and the proper amount of materials prepared.
There will be a Deacons meeting immediately after worship in the sanctuary this Sunday, February 10th. Deacons, please make every effort to attend this brief but important meeting.
Prayer Updates:
Please continue to keep Evelyn Lester and Cynthia Freeman in your prayers as they continue to make progress toward recovery. They both appreciate your thoughts and prayers, as do Bill Lester and Darrell Freeman!
I hope to see you this Sunday as we once again celebrate the Lord’s Day together. The sermon is entitled “See How You Like It” and the scripture is Luke 6: 27-31. Have a great rest of the week and a blessed start to your Lenten journey!
Be peaceful,
Brad
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