A Concord Pastor Comments: Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 3/22

To Keep A True Lent

To help us with our Lenten fasting and sacrifice,
let's consider these words of 17th century poet, Robert Herrick:

Is this a fast,
to keep the larder lean
and clean from fat of veal and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish of flesh,
yet still to fill
the platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour, or ragged to go,
or show a downcast look
and sour?

No: 'tis a fast
to dole thy sheaf of wheat and meat
unto the hungry soul.

It is to fast from strife,
from old debate and hate;
to circumcise thy life.

To show a heart grief-rent;
to starve thy sin, not bin;
and that's to keep thy Lent.

For these 40 days, Lord,
I'm abstaining from meat on Fridays
and I'm giving up ___________

Whatever food or drink, whatever pleasure or activity
   I've given up, I want to do that for good reason, good cause...

Through my giving up something that has its grasp on me,
   I want to be freer to be held by your word...

May my fasting unsettle my comfort, contentment,
   my unobserved self-serving habits...

Through my going without, I want to grow closer to you
   and to those around me, especially those in need...

May my fasting not feed my pride
   but rather make me more humble
      before you and my neighbor...

Let me not make a scene of what I'm doing:
   as much as possible let my sacrifice be quiet,
       between you and me, not something for others to see...

In the void my fasting creates, keep me from looking for,
    keep me from finding other creature comforts
      to fill the emptiness...

May my "fasting from" give me "freedom for"

   praying, sharing, helping, reaching out, discerning,
      refocusing, repenting and reconciling...

Let my fasting heighten my senses
   and make me more aware of what’s going on around me...

Let my fasting sharpen my awareness
    that I might see temptation for what it is
and learn to recognize it when it comes,
   in any shape and form...

And if my fasting saves me money,
   open my heart to those in need
to share with them the fruits of my fast:
   let my hunger and thirst and emptiness
fill them with good food and drink
   and shelter them from the cold and snow...

Help me bring my fast to prayer, Lord,
   that you fill the empty place within me
with the bounty of your presence and peace...

In the stillness of my prayer, Lord,
   help me ponder the emptiness fasting brings
and open my mind, my heart and my soul
   to all you offer to fill me with your love...

Amen.

To ponder and pray over...
What's my Lenten fast? my Lenten sacrifice?
Do I still need to decide? (It's not too late!)
Why do I give something up?
What do I hope for in fasting and sacrifice?
Do I fast or give something up until I feel, until I know,
the emptiness it can bring?
How can my fasting, my giving up, help those in need?