Mary Ellen Hynes: Fasting helps us forget ourselves

“Today is the beginning of the lenten fast…In Ash Wednesday’s gospel, from the sixth chapter of St. Matthew, Jesus offers advice about the discipline. Notice Jesus does not say, “if you fast.” Jesus says, “when you fast.” Many Christians struggle with Jesus’ commandment to pray, fast, and give alms. People want to know how…Lenten fasting usually means eating and drinking less than usual…Lenten fasting also means less entertainment, less music, less nonsense…Ash Wednesday is a kind of slap in the face to bring us to our senses… We try to do things consciously, deliberately…We forget ourselves…In the language of the church, this is called “mortification,” which means, “death to self.” We live for others. Eventually, living simply and justly and kindly becomes our way of life.”

Mary Ellen Hynes, Companion to the Calendar (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1993) 13-14.

Many Christians today don’t observe Lent. It is so sad. Some say that rituals were forced on them in their youth so they want nothing to do with them as an adult. Others recall hypocrites that participated in lenten traditions, and consequently, they want nothing to do with the season. While Lent might be optional, the activities aren’t! Open the word. Read Matthew 6:1-18 for yourself. Jesus is not vague. Giving to the poor, praying and fasting are not optional activities.

Notice the key for Jesus is to have the right heart attitude. Ironic isn’t it that people who do these activities for show not only miss the point before God; they turn others off! So here’s my plea. Don’t participate in Lent unless you are ready for a season of sacrifice, mortification, and transformation. Those who embark on the journey will find that Lent is a gift. We get to dedicate time to growing in three vital aspects of the faith: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Are you in?

“Lenten fasting, almsgiving and support, prayer and bible study–practices such as these unite all men and women. The wealthier taste the hunger of those more poor than themselves, those more poor share their own heroic dependence on God and their neighbor with the wealthier who can otherwise become too independent and self-sufficient. By these alms the proud can offer the destitute an opportunity for self-respect; by their gracious acceptance the poor can teach the proud how to be of humble heart before God and neighbor.”

Caroll Stuhlmueller, Biblical Meditations for Lent (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1978) excerpt from reading for Monday of the first week of Lent.

Why observe Lent? Why dedicate time for prayer? Why identify earthly attachments and fast from them? Why give to a needy neighbor, or graciously receive the support from a generous one? These activities draw us closer to Christ and each other and prepare us to celebrate the resurrection together.

Take time today to pray? Is the glory of the cross of Christ overshadowed by anything in your life?   identify something to fast from? It might be anything from food to Facebook. Follow the Spirit’s leading to reallocate time and money to serving a neighbor in need. In so doing, may God transform us together on the road to Calvary.

“What we do, let us so do it, as not to seek or desire human applause: let the good work be done publicly, but let the intention be secret, that we may, by our good works, excite others to follow our example, and yet, by the purity of our intention, seek only to please God, desiring they should be known to him.”

Gregory the Great (540-604) as recounted in Short Instructions, Or, Meditations on the Gospels for Each Day in Lent by Pacificus Baker (New York: Christian Press, 1904), 28-29.

As we consider making sacrifices in order to serve others this Lent, let us be sure our hearts are in the right place by blessing our neighbors, but we must not do it for applause. As others see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven, may they  be inspired follow our example and, in the words of Gregory, “seek only to please God” along with us.

“Those that give alms only to those they consider worthy, have reason to pray that the Lord in judging them will not follow their example.”

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) as recounted by Charles Jerome Callan in Illustrations for Sermons and Instructions (New York: Joseph Wager, 1916) 309.

Lest we think we are capable of judging who is worthy and unworthy of our aid, Teresa reminds us of the implications of such a judgment. Let us instead err on the side of gracious generosity.

“Christians astounded the ancients with their charity. Although Romans were noted for their largess, they gave expecting a return in kind, at least in honor and friendship. Stoic sages regularly cautioned them to single out the deserving. Social aid, therefore, seldom reached the most needy, those belonging to the very dregs of society. It was precisely these whom Christians sought to help, regularly exhorting their constituency to openhanded and openhearted giving.”

E. Glenn Hinson, The Early Church: Origins to the Dawn of the Middle Ages (Nashville: Abingdon, 1994) 64.

In researching almsgiving in the early church in anticipation of Lent, I am moved at how countercultural Christian charity appears. Christians overturned the rules of reciprocity, which dictated that charity only be directed to the deserving, and of course, a return was always expected. Alternatively, Christian generosity is openhanded and imitates God’s openhearted grace: it is offered freely to everyone. May our giving stir such a renown and response.

“Whatsoever is superfluous in thy estate is to be dispersed in alms. He that hath two coats must give to him that hath none; that is, he that hath beyond his need must give that which is beyond it. Only among needs, we are to reckon not only what will support our life, but also what will maintain the decency of our estate and person, not only in present needs, but in all future necessities, and very probable contingencies, but no further: we are not obliged beyond this, unless we see very great public and calamitous necessities. But yet if we do extend beyond our measures, and give more than we are able, we have the Philippians and many holy persons for our precedent; we have St. Paul for our encouragement; we have Christ for our counselor; we have God for our rewarder; and a great treasure in heaven for our recompense and restitution.”

Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667) English cleric in The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living 4.8.12, another classic from John Wesley’s bookshelf.

My mind is still on Wesley and those who shaped his thinking and contributed to the revival movement in his day. Would you join me in praying for revival? I am praying for Christians to develop a reputation for shifting from owning things to allowing only that which attends to basic needs to stay with us so that we become known for treasuring Christ above all else.

As Taylor instructs, let’s follow the examples set forth in Scripture. Let’s live in light of eternity. As  the days of Lent draw near, join us and many other Christians in considering your own almsgiving. Ask God whom you are to bless with “whatever is superfluous in thy estate.” And let us “extend beyond our measures, and give more than we are able!”

“If there be nothing so glorious as doing good, if there is nothing that makes us so like God, then nothing can be so glorious in the use of our money, as to use it in all works of love and goodness, making ourselves friends, fathers, benefactors, to all our fellow-creatures, imitating the divine love, and turning all our power into acts of generosity, care, and kindness, to such as are in need of it.”

William Law (1686-1761) in A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life (Newcastle: Barker, 1845) 51.

While I pray the quotes I share daily ignite the fires of generosity in your life, you must know that William Law was one of the formative influences in the life of John Wesley. Law wrote A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life in 1728 and it remains for us today as one of the contributing works that helped birth the revival movement in Wesley’s England. May all who revisit this classic be equally inspired today!

“Open your eyes! Look around you! Are the richest men the happiest? Have those the largest share of contentment who have the largest possessions? Is not the very reverse true? Is it not a common observation, that the richest of men are, in general, the most discontented, the most miserable? …If you are increased in goods, are you proportionally increased in happiness? You have more substance, but have you more contentment? You know that in seeking happiness from riches, you are only striving to drink out of empty cups? And let them be painted and guilded ever so finely, they are empty still.”

John Wesley (1703-1791) in The Danger of Riches, Sermon 87.2.10.

This week I am meeting with Wesleyan Church leaders and professors at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University for the purpose of building a course on biblical stewardship informed in part by the teachings of John Wesley. Because of this, I read some of his sermons this morning for inspiration! It’s moving to think how the cultural dynamics in our modern context mirror those in Wesley’s England. May each of us match his zeal and candor, especially when it comes to speaking the truth with regard to money.

“Maturity in grace makes us willing to part with worldly goods; the green apple needs a sharp twist to separate it from the bough; but the ripe fruit parts readily from the wood. Maturity in grace makes it easier to part with life itself; the unripe pear is scarcely beaten down with much labor, while its mellow companion drops readily into the hand without the slightest shake. Rest assured that love to the things of this life, and cleaving to this present state, are sure indications of immaturity in the divine life.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), British Baptist “Prince of Preachers” as recounted in New Cyclopedia of Prose Illustrations ed. Elon Foster (New York: Thomas Crowell, 1877) 406.

If you are looking for aid in growing in maturity in the divine life, try Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Daily Readings. It’s a devotional classic, which you can download freely in PDF or app form for your own daily office.

“But the Arians, as being grieved at this, again devised another yet more cruel and unholy deed; cruel in the eyes of all men, but well suited to their antichristian heresy. The Lord commanded that we should remember the poor; He said, ‘Sell that you have, and give alms’ and again ‘I was a hungry, and you gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; for inasmuch as you have done it unto one of these little ones, you have done it unto Me.’ But these men, as being in truth opposed to Christ, have presumed to act contrary to His will in this respect also…

And when the Arians saw that the brethren readily ministered unto them and supported them, they persecuted the widows also, beating them on the feet, and accused those who gave to them… Persons were brought to trial for acts of kindness which they had performed; he who showed mercy was accused, and he who had received a benefit was beaten; and they wished rather that a poor man should suffer hunger, than that he who was willing to show mercy should give to him.”

Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373), one of the four doctors of the Eastern Church, in History Arianorum (History of the Arians) 7.61, on “The Ill Treatment of the Poor”.

Athanasius is most commonly known for leading the charge against the Arians who denied the deity of Christ, which resulted in the first council of Nicaea. Those who denied the deity of Christ also failed to live out His teachings. We see this today don’t we?

There are many who confess to follow Christ but fail to live out His teachings. Of the poor they say “they are getting what they deserve, the fruit of their sinful choices,” and even ridicule those who are selling their possessions to extend them care.

Our Lord said such things would happen. That those who followed in His footsteps would be “persecuted for the sake of righteousness” (Matthew 5:10). To the same He promised the kingdom of heaven, so regardless of what others are doing, may we be found among the brethren showing merciful care to the poor as if we are extending it to Christ Himself.