The 40 day period of “Lent” begins this coming Wednesday. Lent marks the period Jesus spent in the desert resisting every temptation thrown at him by the devil. During this period leading up to the Easter celebrations many Christians fast in some way- the fasting is supposed to be a penance for our sins and when combined with prayer and acts of charity, to prepare us for the commemoration of the crucifixion and resurrection.
Different Christian denominations have different fasting traditions including:
*Fast during the day except for bread and water, take modest evening meal.
*No meat or fish on Fridays.
*No meat of fish for the full 40 days.
*Giving something meaningful up on Fridays (usually meat, cigarettes or alcohol).
*As above for the full 40 days.
*Giving something meaningful up for a month.
*We all seem to agree that we get Sundays off.
How confusing.
I grew up in a house with an athiest father and a liberal christian mother, consequently, as a child lent didn't really mean much to me and certainly not as much as the chocolate eggs I received at the end of it. In more recent years I decided to give myself the label of “Unitarian Christian”- although Unitarian churches and congregations have failed to inspire me- my closest Unitarian church doesn't pay much heed to Lent or other such traditions.
As I haven't grown up in a particular tradition I struggle to make up my mind as to which one speaks to me most. I've fasted fully when I've been in Palestine during Ramadan- but for no more than 11 days. It was hard, but the evening celebrations and collective dedication made it easier and gave it a spiritual significance that Lent has lost here in the UK. Anyway, this year Lent has a slightly added significance- I am closely examining my spiritual life and trying to decide whether I can truly call myself a Chrsitian or not. I also want a reminder of how privileged I am, of how friends of mine, particularly in Occupied Palestine, are unable to take food, heat or safety for granted. When I was in the Palestine last year I regularly had to do without things because of the situation. For a few weeks over winter the Israelis had limited the amount of gas coming into the West Bank. We had to limit our use of heaters so we could continue to cook and heat water for washing. I've never before experienced such penetrating cold and the physical and psycological effects that come with it- when you have to work so hard to stay warm and feed yourself and those around you it leaves you with little energy for anything else.
I never want to forget this experience- although I don't come from an affluent family non of us have had to do without such basics and in our society of sickening consumption very few of us can even imagine what it is like. So after much thought I've decided that I will give up coffee and meat/fish for 40 days, excluding Sundays. I don't eat much meat so that in itself isn't really challenging myself. Coffee, however, is my life blood and thought of not having any to help me through my day at work is a worrying one. We'll see how I get on- I'm guessing that Sundays will be spent bathing in espresso and adding freshly ground coffee to my meals like salt....
