“I have much more confidence in the charity which begins in the home and diverges into a large humanity, than in the worldwide philanthropy which begins at the outside of our horizon to converge into egotism.”
Anna Murphy Jameson (1797-1860), art historian, essayist, in Day’s Collacon compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 95.
Lent is a personal and communal journey that starts in each of us and permeates outward. For Jameson, practicing the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and sharing with the needy, are the kinds of things that should shape our lives and impact how we extend charity our neighbor who is right beside us. Perhaps this is a good framework for us to think about Lent.
Father, by your Holy Spirit, show each of us what it looks like to carve out time for communion with you (prayer), guide us to what we should remove from our lives for a season (fasting), and direct us in deploying Your resources in response to the needs of those around us (giving), so that all might see and know the love of Jesus. Amen.