Typically, we associate Lent and its practices with subtraction (SEE this coming Friday’s post): doing less of something, perhaps eating only one meal on a particular day (fasting) or giving up altogether (abstinence) something we enjoy as an intentional, symbolic act of “deprivation,” for example, no meat, no Instagram or Facebook or sexual relations (Orthodox Christian couples are expected to abstain from sexual relations throughout the Church’s four fasting seasons). In and of themselves these things are either good or not inherently bad or sinful.
Abstinence also involves consciously abstaining from something that is an impediment in our relationship with the Holy One, other humans, nature and the entire earth community, and our deepest, truest self. Ask yourself, “What is getting in the way of my being deeply connected to these four:
SELF
OTHER HUMANS
NATURE
GOD?*
Ask yourself, “What is getting in the way of my feeling content, being at peace, flourishing, contributing to the well-being of others, living into and out from what matters most, being joyful? These questions are meant to stimulate a prayerful taking stock of one’s life for insight, discernment, action, and personal growth. If they elicit guilt, shame, regret, or remorse, sit with, face into, and feel the feelings. Then, lay them on the altar of the One who is “mercy within mercy within mercy” (Thomas Merton) and give yourself to keeping wonder, gratefulness, compassion, love, and joy alive.
* For more on this SONG see the Vision of The Sacred Braid and the four core ingredients for an authentic spirituality here.
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