Lent and a world in Turmoil

Lent and a world in Turmoil

Ashley Mwanza

For some Christian denominations, the season of sacrifice is now underway. 40 days of prayer, fasting and personal sacrifice mark the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But this year is especially hard for some believers who are already struggling because of the recession, worse still those in poverty.

For centuries, ashes have been used in religion as a symbol of mourning and penance as well as death. The ashes remind us of mortality, we are actually not invincible.

Maybe getting back to the basics closer to our families closer to our friends, maybe helping one another is the true message of this lent, but above all else giving of yourself for the betterment of others.

This is a year of hope in the midst of all turmoil and hence, many will be pondering personal change and focusing on hope.

In times of hardship, says the Rev. Richard Kremer, St. John's Baptist USA, people look for community.

“There's an innate tendency,” he says, “to … band together in secular and spiritual enterprises.”

There is a connection to the hard times. A recession is a kind of natural correction for overdoing it economically; Lent is a recession for the soul. It gives you an opportunity to do without and consider what's really important.

Some would say that economic tragedy not only makes people more reflective, but often causes them “to reach out to God.” A downturn in the economy and Lent both force Christians to face the reality of loss in life.

Lent reminds us that everything we enjoy is a gift, he says. In times like this, it reminds us that jobs and opportunities are divine gifts, not rights.

Reinvesting in the future will require a new set of priorities both for the individual citizen and for governments at all levels. President Obama said throughout his campaign: “this is not about me: it is about you.” That also comes with responsibilities, he added.

We're in the state we're in because of greed.

Lent is a good time to reflect on our consumer attitudes, spend less, save more, and think about others and our environment. And also reflect about the spiritual nature of our lives.

“A recession calls into question our assumption that we can have it all and that we can have it now,” says Hazel Buckley, a Franciscan sister. “We need to embrace the ‘ethic of enough’, which involves a decision to have only what we need, not all that we want. Leaner times can help us make this distinction. The period of Lent is a good opportunity to pare back the excesses in our life and to be content and grateful for what we already have.”

“There is no wealth but life,” as John Ruskin (English critic, essayist, and reformer - 1819 - 1900) put it.