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Don’t look now, but the season of Lent is a few weeks away (Ash Wednesday is February 17!). And the big question is “WHAT ARE YOU GIVING UP FOR LENT?” John Calvin, the “Institutes” author, didn’t like giving anything up for Lent because it was too much in line with the Roman Catholic Church’s tradition. No vote of confidence from our beloved reformer!
I read an article by Fred Lyon, a regular contributor to Homiletics, a publication devoted to “the art of communication through preaching and worship”, where he shares some interesting perspectives on “giving up things” for Lent. He writes, “Equating Lent with giving up things tends to correspond to making resolutions and trying to improve ourselves. This can lead to guilt trips when we fail to follow through on our good intentions, or to ego trips when we forget that whatever progress we make comes via being empowered on high. Neither venture is very conducive to exploring discipleship as a journey imbued with God’s steadfast grace.
Instead of giving up things for Lent, we might focus on taking up new life in the Spirit. Instead of making resolutions, we might focus on how God resolves to redeem us before we realize we need help from beyond our own resources. Instead of self-improvement, we seek the transforming ways of Christ.”
(Homiletics/Jan-Feb 2010 p.7).
What do you think?
Peace,
TOM
They say that St. John the Apostle liked to play with his pet sparrow from time to time. One day a hunter came to visit him and was surprised to see such a famous man playing. He surely could have used that time doing something good and important. So he asked the saint: “Why do you waste your time playing? Why do you devote your time to such a useless sparrow?”
John looked at him in surprise. Why shouldn’t he play? Why did someone like a hunter not understand that? So he asked him, “Why is the string on your bow not tight?”
It’s not done; you cannot keep the bowstring tight all the time, otherwise the bow would lose its tension and become useless for shooting arrows.”
John then told the young man, “My friend, just as you always release the tension on your bowstring, so you must release the tension inside of you and relax. If I don’t relax and just play, I would have no strength for any great undertaking. I would not even have the strength to do what I have to and what is necessary and demands my complete attention.”
The Cross Universal symbol of Christian faith
The Dove The presence of God as the Holy Spirit
The Fish Early symbol of being a Christian
The Book The Word of God
The Pulpit Preaching the Word of God
The Cup Chalice and baptismal font:
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
The Fire The burning bush (Exodus 3) and Pentecost (Acts 2)
The Triangle The Trinity
The Presbyterian Handbook, Geneva Press, Louisville, KY,
2006, p.78.
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Last Edited on
01/31/2010