Lent: Charity, Fasting, and At Home Learning
Charity
(depicted as a mother of many children)
Anthony van Dyck
(1599 - 1641)
We have now finished our first “week” of At Home Learning. Even though it was only a 2 day school week, I know the demands of our present circumstances are stretching all of us.
I was inspired by the spiritual reflections some of our parents have already begun to share with one another and our teaching staff. So I have begun to look at my circumstances with the same eyes. What sort of moment do I find myself in spiritually? How might Jesus be reaching and teaching me today?
I wonder at the timing of this event. Many Christians are currently observing the season of Lent in the liturgical calendar. Lent, being the 40 day period leading to Easter in the Christian calendar, is modelled in part off the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness before the beginning of his public ministry [Matthew 4:1-2]. During these 40 days Jesus was isolated; Jesus fasted; even when Jesus was tempted, he chose to, “worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” [Matthew 4:10]. Traditionally, the Christian practices of prayer, alms-giving (charity), and fasting are particularly emphasized during the season of Lent.
These Lenten practices seem to be tied together by Jesus’ teaching. When Jesus instructs us how to pray, he gave us the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from the evil one.
I notice that this instruction is bookended by his teaching on how to practice charity [Matthew 6:1-4] and how to fast [Matthew 6: 16-18]. And he concludes his teaching on these three directives with an exhortation: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life [Matthew 6: 25]
At the beginning of Lent this year in late February, I viewed Lent as an invitation to walk with Jesus. To look for opportunities to embrace the traditional Lenten practices of prayer and introspection, charity, and fasting in order to become more like Christ.
Now, nearly 4 weeks later, these opportunities have come into sharp focus for me as our daily lives have altered.
4 weeks ago, I confined the invitation to walk with Jesus to specific times of my day and specific activities.
Prayer and introspection happened before I left the house for work (if at all).
Charity looked like acts of service to students at the front desk or my family members after work.
Fasting looked like abstaining from meat, possible because of the control I had over my diet.
Today, I’m contemplating my new daily order: one with little specificity and a very different structure. Today, walking with Jesus through prayer, charity, and fasting is happening, not in isolated windows, but through the whole day.
Prayer and introspection is becoming the backdrop to to my increased solitude.
Charity looks like responding with love and kindness to the needs of my family and community members who are struggling with anxiety, chaos, fear or isolation.
Fasting looks like the sacrifice of activities I love, and look forward, that are not possible right now.
I don’t know how to walk with Jesus with any more certainty or clarity today than I did 4 weeks ago. But I am confident that God will teach me.
Every morning at Ambleside, we pray, “Oh Lord, today I submit to you, my heart, my head, and my hands.” Even though I will not be praying that prayer together with the students, I can still submit to God in prayer, in my thoughts, and my actions.
Lord, teach me: how do I walk with Jesus, today? Under these circumstance? In my house? During uncertainty?
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
Isabelle Baucum