NO AND YES FOR LENT…On Ash Wednesday, we gathered and were traced in the form of a cross with ashes. These ashes signaled entry into this most holy of seasons; a time of fasting, an opportunity to deprive the body and consequently make room for the spirit.
These days, we seem to harbor an extra motive for fasting. As a whole, America seems to be much too overweight. In fact, the Harper’s Index of Statistics states that, at the current rate of increase, all Americans will be overweight by the year 2059! While fasting from food can be a good practice and a sincere attempt at discipline, perhaps we need to be challenged a bit this Lent to another form of fasting or discipline; fasting from that which comes from our mouths.
Consider this:
Fasting From Foul Language: The air around us is full of it. The F-word is commonplace, monotonously and boringly so, in movies, in song lyrics, in novels, in magazine articles and in everyday conversation. Crude talk and endless sexual double meaning pollutes commercials, TV shows and daily conversation. This has become so commonplace that we take it all in as part of normal discourse. But when locker room talk becomes the ordinary means of communication it coarsens us, devalues us. Certainly, foul language has no place in the life of a disciple of Jesus. So, the first practice for Lent for all of us is to watch our language. Remember, we are part of Christ’s gang!
Keep Judgments From Spilling Out From Our Mouths: This might be hard to do for the whole of Lent. , but maybe you could pick one day to keep your judgments to yourself. Friday is a good choice, in honor of Jesus’ crucifixion. This was also the day when Jesus granted paradise to the repentant thief. So, for each Friday of Lent, make no judgments about other people: about their motives, their goodness or badness, their social standing, their defects, their clothes, their color, their sexuality, their mistakes. We are fellow pilgrims and Christ died for all of us. For one day a week during Lent, avoid letting negative judgments come forth from your mouth.
Try to Control the Verbal Negatives That So Readily Come From Our Mouths: not just the hate language, but the put-downs, the jabs that hurt, the insults, the criticisms, the condemnations, the sarcasm, the harmful gossip, the rumor that smears. Again, if it’s too much to do on every day during Lent, make it just one day a week. You may want to choose Wednesday as your no-negative words day, as tradition holds that this was the day Judas let the words which betrayed Jesus fall from his mouth. Words can hurt. Avoid the verbal negatives for the Wednesdays of Lent!
Let the Word “No” Fall More Often From Your Mouth: Our “nos” define us every bit as much as our “yeses.” Jesus is our guide. When he cured the man possessed by a demon and that man wanted to follow him, he said no. “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” When Pilate questioned Jesus, he shook his head no and refused to answer. He said no to the pain-dulling hyssop offered to him on the cross. Be like Jesus for Lent. Say no to drugs. Say no to pre-marital sex. Say no to infidelity. Say no to cheating. Say no to lies. Say no to over-consumption. But say yes to truth. Say yes to words that encourage and heal. Say yes to charitable deeds and sharing. Say yes to prayer. Say yes to your family’s need for your presence and time. Say Yes to Jesus.
HAVE A HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE AND POSITIVE LENT!
