Don't miss the point.....

I should have had this thought on Ash Wednesday, not this late in Lent!  But today my Daily Guidepost reading pointed me towards Matthew 6:1-4 which is about alms giving and piety and hypocrites and doing things in secret and all of this caused me to do some research because I don't know what alms are!

Alms is an archaic word for charity.  It is defined as something given freely (such as money or food) to help relieve the poor.  Hopefully we have all given to charity in some fashion - donations to the United Way or UNICEF or our local food banks or to many other organizations that assist the marginalized population.  We also give to disaster relief like the Red Cross to help out people who lost so much in natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and floods.  These are all charitable acts, something we give freely to help, almsgiving!

Something else we might give a lot of is time!  This is also given freely in order to help those less fortunate than ourselves.  This, too, qualifies as a charitable act.  However, we need to keep in mind that Jesus instructs us that "whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you .... so that you may be praised by others."  (Matthew 6:2)  Our charity is to come from our hearts and kept in our hearts because, as Jesus told us in Matthew 6:4, "your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

While researching, I found a beautiful Ash Wednesday sermon by a Rev. Steve Domienik who, according to Google, is an Episcopal minister at St. Andrews Church in Madison, Ct.  (I found this on the internet, so it must be true - at least that's what I hear on TV!)  I don't think he will mind if I share a few things with you!

What does practicing piety, giving alms, praying, fasting and storing up treasure have to do with me? Aren’t these just antiquated behaviors that Jesus is talking about? Who disfigures their face and tries to look dismal so that people will know that they are fasting? Do people still fast? Isn’t that something that monks do? And who stands out on the street corners with hands held high praying to God in a loud voice? And how does one practice piety anyways? 

Isn’t Lent just about feeling gloomy, guilty and giving something up? Aren’t we just supposed to endure some self-deprecating behaviors for forty days and then return to our normal lives once Easter arrives?

I’m sure that there are many people who feel this way about this particular season of our church year, but this is NOT the purpose of Lent.  The ultimate point of Lent is to create change.  Change in our spiritual lives, in our relationships with self, others, creation and God.

So the point of Lent is change not suffering!  Giving up candy for Lent is a choice but why is it your choice?  If it is just because you think you should suffer, then giving up candy is the wrong choice.  But if you are giving up candy to change an unhealthy eating habit, go for it! 

It is important to keep balance.   Remember my choice - I wanted to give back instead of give up.  This is a valid choice but, again, balance comes into play.  I had to give up something in order to find the time to give back.  I gave up my morning TV shows to blog and I gave up pleasure reading to read the Bible.

Rev. Steve's sermon ends thusly (I choose to use his words because I cannot improve on them!)  But his message is worth our time and reflection:

Lent isn’t about suffering and sacrifice. Lent is about balance. We are called to a period of fasting and self-denial because we have too much already. Those actions call to mind people who are perpetually hungry and constantly poor. Donate the money you would have spent at a restaurant to the food bank. Balance what you have with what others do not. 

Over the course of a year, we have a tendency to get out of balance. Meeting with friends over coffee is a good thing. But when we get to the point where we can’t function without a double mocha latte grande skinny with a touch of caramel java juice at $7 a cup, we’ve gotten out of balance. Find something else to do with the money. And if that feels like self-denial, so be it. 

I said Lent is an interesting season, and I think that’s because of the push/pull feel to it. Fast, but don’t let it show. Pray, but do so quietly in your own home. Give money, but don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Those actions are what make Lent introspective.  Why do you do what you do? Why do you fast? Why do you give money? Why do you pray? Only you can answer these things. 

Lent is about change and balance. 

How will you regain your balance this season?