Lent: Conversion, Fasting, & Feasting
"Lent is about conversion...Conversion means leaving behind an old way of living and acting in order to embrace new life in Christ."
(Rev. Lawrence E. Mick, "Lenten Customs," AmericanCatholic.org.)
I wonder what this Lenten season will hold for me. There are so many "old ways" I would do well to leave behind that it's overwhelming. I revisited William Arthur Ward's Fasting and Feasting and The Peace Prayer of St. Francis for inspiration, and this is what I've come up with:
This Lent I will fast from anger, complaining, judging others, and pessimism, and I will feast on patience, appreciation, acceptance, and hope.
At least I'm going to try (with the help of God's Grace), so wish me luck. Better yet, say a prayer for me. Cavemama thinks it would be easier to give up chocolate, and I'm 22 1/2 weeks pregnant.
2 comments:
This is a tall order but seems a worthy quest.
Thanks for posting the info about Lent. . .I'm new to the ritual and am tailoring it to my own spiritual seeking.
(and no, this doesn't count as breaking the writing fast, though next time I do this I should consider giving up commenting, posting, and emailing :) )
A tall order indeed. Your basic "attitude adjustment" if you will. The fast and the feast are two sides of a coin and all about perspective.
I thought of focusing in on only one thing (like complaining), but I figured I might end up obsessed over giving up that one thing, which would manifest a whole other set of undesirable "old ways." Better to be kept on my toes, I think.
Our approaches to Lent are quite similar in that I, too, am "tailoring it to my own spiritual seeking."
I wish you well this Lent. I'm sure the journey will be fruitful for us no matter what our destinations might be.
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