March 5, 2006
There is an old old story ...
About a king who was walking through the streets of his capital city, when he came across a beggar (who immediately asked him for money - after all, that is what beggars do). But the king didn't give him any money - instead he invited the beggar to visit him in his palace. The beggar immediately accepted the offer.
On the appointed day, the beggar made his way to the royal palace, and was escorted into the king's presence. However, as he came closer and closer to the king, the beggar became awkwardly aware of his own appearance (and the tattered rags he wore), and felt ashamed.
They were a symbol of the wretchedness of his life.
The king (a terribly kind man) received him warmly, took pity on him. He showed him to a room where he could wash and clean himself, and had a new set of clothes laid out for him ... and served him a hot meal.
However a few days later the beggar was back begging on the streets - dressed in his old rags.
Why did he give up the new suit ?? Because he knew that wearing it meant he would have to live a new life. It would mean giving up the life of a beggar ... and that was something he was not prepared to do. It wasn't that the new life didn't appeal to him (because it DID - very much). It was just that he knew a change of life would be slow, and painful and filled with uncertainty. In other words ... he was too entrenched in his current ways, to change. His habits had been long set.
Habit plays a big part in our lives. It has been said that we live the second half of our lives according to the habits we formed during the first half. And while that may be comforting to those who have formed GOOD habits ... it is downright terrifying for those who have formed bad habits
but then
LENT comes along and touches something deep inside us.
The sight of Jesus fasting and praying in the desert moves us, and forces us to look at our own lives. It challenges us to improve ourselves.
To take stock of our lives, and work at bringing them in line with what it is we are truly called to be. To focus on our spiritual nature, as well as those characteristics which define WHO we are. So that we may BE the person God wants us to be.
On Ash Wednesday, I spoke about curling. About being at
one of the games in London last week for the Tournament of Hearts ... and of the shot where one of the players "cleared the rocks out of the house". And I commented on how Lent is our time to "clean house" .. to sweep out all those things that are cluttering our lives - making it impossible for us to DO the things we are supposed to do, and BE the people we are supposed to be.
But that illustration has one HUGE flaw. We are not curling rocks .... We are people. It doesn't all clear away in one big swoop. There are continued trials and temptations which come at us ... threatening to clutter our lives again.
And that is where the true challenge of LENT comes along. Taking on something new, often means casting aside something old ... something which is comfortable (even though we may know it is wrong to do, or bad for us, or even worn out).
And we are not good at letting go of anything. Humans are collectors - gatherers. Whether it is an old inner tube out in the garage, or a habit we've been trying to kick for years, we just can't let go ...
We declare that we are weak ... that we have no willpower, and so we prop up our bad habits and our imperfect selves (justifying all that we do as a byproduct of our human imperfection).
In today's gospel, Jesus is led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by Satan. And instead of giving in to the temptation, he stayed true to himself, and faithful to God.
Throughout this season of Lent we are reminded that the faithful example of Jesus, GIVES us the faith to stay true to God in the midst of our struggles, and temptations.
And even though we sometimes give in to these trials (and try to take matters into our own hands) we know that God still remains faithful to us ...
- that even if it is not in our nature to love and trust God
above everything else, it is in God's nature to remain
faithful and loving to us.
- that it is GOD'S nature to give us faith, and to give us the strength to live faithfully.
As we are journey through this season as a community of the faithful, we are given the power to face temptation head on - and see it for what it really is. Not as something we use to excuse ourselves and to blame others for our own shortcomings - but as a test which can only be overcome through the power of God.
LENT gives us the chance to focus on how we deal with the temptations that constantly come at us, and challenge us to be something OTHER than what God wants us to be.
The tools of prayer, and study and self-denial and repentance, and confession/absolution are there to help us on our way. And while those tools are available to us at any time (because I know that Lent isn't the ONLY time we can work at becoming the people we are called to be), this is the time in the life of the church when the whole community is focused on the doing the same thing. Our liturgy, our assigned scripture, our study group ... all working together to help US on our journey.
And beyond these walls - we know that the church around the world is upholding us in prayer as we make this journey (just as we carry them in our prayers).
People we've never met - many in places we've never been - are praying for each one of us, as we walk through this season of Lent, and face our own trials and temptations head on..
And for me - that makes the whole Lenten experience a
pretty powerful one. And it lightens the load, to know that we are not in this alone ... but are with... the God who has called us... the Son who has shown us the way... and the Spirit who continues to walk with us and uphold us (through the presence and the prayers of others).
