Rectory Ramblings…
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem
(Luke 9:51)
 
February the 14^th will soon be upon us – St Cyril’s Day!
And sorry to be so unromantic, but in the Anglican tradition it is the feast of St Cyril and not St Valentine. St Cyril (in case you didn’t know) was an Orthodox monk, and responsible for creating the Cyrillic Alphabet, paving the way for the Bible to be translated in Russian, and thus bringing the Russian people closer to God. I am sure you are also aware that February 14^th this year is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. And this leads us to the inevitable question: “What are you giving up for Lent?” With a typical answer being either alcohol or chocolate! Although I suspect that with an early Easter this year and Lent starting only two weeks after “Dry January”, alcohol may not be the number one choice this year. So, before we decide what to give up (or not) it could be a good time to pause and consider what is Lent really all about and what is the best way to use our Lenten fast?
 
There is a reason why fasting and prayer go together. Fasting is refraining from worldly pleasures as part of increased religious devotion. Lent is a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter. In two months’ time we remember once again how Jesus entered Jerusalem for what he knew would be the last time. We will journey with him in his triumphal entry on Palm Sunday; his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; his final supper with his disciples; his arrest, trial and execution; and finally celebrate his resurrection. If we are using Lent well, that journey begins on Ash Wednesday. In the verse I have quoted above from Luke’s Gospel the Greek verb used for “set his face to go to Jerusalem” doesn’t translate easily. Different versions have said: “fixed his face on Jerusalem”, “resolutely set out for Jerusalem”, “steeled himself for the journey to Jerusalem”. What I sense in these words is a grim determination to see this thing through, however hard that will be, and whatever it would take. 
 
So, in times gone by, Christians would prepare themselves for Easter by prayer and self-discipline. Part of this was removing meats and fats from their diet leaving just simple seasonal vegetables and any they did have in the house were used up on Collop Monday and Shrove Tuesday. But this was the beginning of a fast which was more about discipline and focussing the mind on preparing oneself spiritually to celebrate Christ’s Passion than giving things up. It was about doing more to become closer to God not doing less. Whilst I am not suggesting that you go as far as translating the Bible into a new language, the correct question is not “What have you given up for Lent this year”? but “What are you taking up for Lent this year”?
Revd Eddie