“What are you giving up for Lent?” goes the old question. Most of us remember, from childhood, “giving up something” during the season of Lent because Lent is when faithful people are invited to “self-examination and repentance through prayer, fasting, and self-denial” (Book of Common Prayer, page 264-265). As a kid, I often gave up chocolate, soda, or sweets. More recently, as adults, we learn that instead of giving up something, we can instead take on a holy practice. We might commit to having daily prayer time, reading the Bible each day, or participating in Holy Eucharist every Sunday.
Whether you decide to give something up or take something on, our goal is the same. We’re creating space in our lives for the God of all mercy to create and make in us new and contrite hearts (as we’ll pray together on Ash Wednesday).
To borrow the phrase popularized by minimalism in the 1940s, you could say that “Less is more” during Lent.
We take a bit less into our lives trusting that we will receive more of God.
Our God, through Christ, is more generous than we can imagine. God is always wanting to offer us more and more of the heart of Christ, as we have room to take it in.
Molly+
