Clearly, Lent is meant to challenge productive, busy people -- which more and more of us are these days. Lent is a warning to DO less and REFLECT more. Lent makes now the time to LET GO of things and (better) to SHARE the best of our things with those who really need them, rather than accumulate and protect them for ourselves and loved ones. And all this prayer, generosity, and personal discipline really should be done in PRIVATE anyway, so where's the fun in that?
It's no surprise that Lent feels counter-cultural, even counter-intuitive. For those who take pride in their independence, free spirit, and success, Lent is the time to acknowledge just how llittle value these passing things have; just give them a little time and all such things are forgotten. Pretty bleak agenda, or so Lent seems at first.
The truth is, of course, not bleak at all, at least not if we follow the Christian Scriptures during these 40 days. No matter who were are or what we've done -- so our Tradition admonishes us -- NOW is the time to know how each of us is precious, loved, and given the chance of a lifetime to cash in on this truth. All we have have to do is SEE it. Easier said than done, seeing/hearing the truth (as Jesus constantly bemoaned with his own friends and disciples!).
The fact is (and for me, a wonderful fact) most of us can use up a lot of lifetime just learning to SEE and to HEAR the Good News. It took Peter his own humiliating betrayal of his Master to know how to recognize and welcome Jesus' healing forgiveness-- making this the hallmark of his own preaching. Vincent de Paul struggled until middle age before beginning to grasp that his own salvation was tied to God's plan to love, care for, and evangelize the poor. Long delays and endless missteps on our part will never stop the News from being good nor true. Indeed, "getting" the Good News happens in God's time and is God's grace (gift) at work in us.
But when it does take root in us, the Good News never leaves, but often will make us uncomfortable and hopefully contagious. We kind of lose our taste for the things we had thought mattered, as we now yearn for that restored kingdom described both in Jesus' teachings and His life -- the pearl of great price, the hidden treasure in the field, the lost coin, the inappropriately forgiving father, the peasant-rabbi so willing to suffer just to show his friends how to live in freedom... We do become restless -- thanks to Lent -- which is what most of us have felt anyway, deep inside. (Caution: anyone ruined by God's saving grace makes a poor celebrity!)
And Lent's nicest touch? Well, once we have had the chance to acknowledge that, as disciples go, we are only beginners, we can drop any pretence of creating our own salvation.
