Another
Purpose for Lent
Fr.
George Smiga
28
– 29 February 2004
There
is nothing like a conversation with the devil to seize your
attention. A confrontation with the Prince of Darkness certainly
breaks the routine of life. The story of Jesus' temptation
is the only scene in the gospels where Jesus and the devil
have a conversation. It stands apart from every narrative
in the gospels. It is unique. The church has wisely chosen
to use this story each year on the first Sunday of Lent because
its very uniqueness points to an important aspect of the 40
days we are beginning. This story reminds us that Lent is
different from every other time of the year.
There
are of course many ways to understand the purpose of Lent.
We can view Lent as a time to turn away from sin, as a time
to grow as a person, as a time to deepen our relationship
with the Lord. All these approaches are valid. But I would
like to suggest to you this morning another purpose for this
season.
Lent
is meant to break the routine of living. This is an important
result because the danger of routine is all too easily underestimated.
You see, once we become set in our careers; once we establish
our families; once we learn the ropes of living; it is easy
for routine to take over. We know all the familiar patterns.
We settle into the well-worn grooves of habit which move us
easily from one thing to the next. “I know this. I've done
it before. I can do it again.” Our life becomes automatic.
In doing so, our living becomes shallow. We slide from one
thing to another, without much thought or reflection. We eat,
we sleep, we work, we relax. We drive the children to the
dentist, we make love with our spouse. Such living may seem
easy, but it lessens our life. Because once we let routine
take over, we are not really living but simply responding
to the routine that pushes us along.
Now
routine is not a problem for everyone. If you are still looking
at what you want to do in your life; if you are cutting your
teeth on a new job or relationship; if there is some tragedy
in your life such as sickness or divorce or death, routine
is the least of your problems. But for those of us who are
set, for those of us who have settled in and fallen into habitual
living, routine is a lethal danger. For once we have put our
lives on automatic pilot, the days and the years slip by without
much reflection or depth. Once those opportunities are gone
they are gone for good.
Lent
then is an opportunity to break the routine of life. This
is what Lenten practices are meant to achieve. This is why
we decide to make the Stations of the Cross or give additional
time and money to the poor. This is why we give up smoking
or alcohol. It is like putting a stone in your shoe. It is
something to remind you, something to break the normal pattern
of living. The hope, of course, is that if we can break the
routine, we can begin to ask important questions: Who am I?
What do I value? How do I need to change? What am I taking
for granted? Those re the questions that the routine of life
erases from our consciousness. Those are the questions which
must be asked if we are truly going to live.
Therefore,
on this first Sunday of Lent, stop and ask yourself: What
am I going to do to break the routine of my life? Do I need
add something that is not normally in my life? Do I need to
stop something that is commonplace in my living? Do I need
to reach out to others in service? Do I need to withdraw into
myself and spend some time in reflection? You get to choose
what step you want to take.
But
please dare to break the routine of living. Dare to change
the pattern of you regular routine. You do not need to run
out into the wilderness and live there for 40 days. You do
not need to arrange a conversation with the devil. But you
do need to put breaks upon the forces that are moving you
mindlessly from one thing to the next. You do need to create
a space in which you can hear the voice of God. And I promise
you this. If you create that space to listen, God will not
be silent. God will speak a word to your heart—a word that
will reveal the shallowness of routine—a word that will thrust
you into the depths of living. God will speak to you a word
of grace, of forgiveness and, yes, of re-creation.
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