John Curtis Dunn
09-03-2003, 03:24 AM
Recently I was engaged in a brief conversation with a young man about the meaning and purpose of Lent.*This man had recently converted from Presbyterianism to Uniate Roman Catholicism.* The subject was introduced between us when he mentioned that he was giving up smoking for Lent.* He then asked me "What are you giving up
for Lent?* Without hesitation I replied, "Sin."
Somewhat shocked he stammered back, "But aren't you always supposed to be giving up sin?"* I replied, "Yes, but I don't seem to succeed very well."* This opened up our discussion of what is the purpose of Lent.* After he completed expounding his own understanding, he paused and asked, "What do you think?"* He was physically
stunned when I replied, "Your answer makes you a good Anglican."
"What do you mean? he replied, after gaining his composure.* It was apparent that he had thought that his being a Uniate Roman Catholic would mean that his approach to the fast would correspond to my Orthodox keeping of the fast.*After all, Uniatism is simply Orthodoxy with a twist of Papism, correct?
What is the purpose of the Fast?
*
The answer to this question as explained by the young man of the above story, is to describe the fast as "Giving up!"* This understanding of the fast is what prompted him to ask me, "What are you giving up for Lent?"* I answered his question, but did his question answer the more fundamental question, "What is the purpose of the Fast?"
His perspective identified the fast as a "giving up" of something.* In his account, he was giving up smoking, which as we have all been taught "is a good thing."* But his perspective fails to communicate the fullness of the Orthodox keeping of the fast. The purpose of the Fast is relatively simple, even if the keeping of it is a great struggle.*The purpose of the Fast is simply to teach us "obedience."* And because it is simply obedience which is required, we struggle to keep the fast.
A third participant entered into our conversation after I said, "Your answer makes you a good Anglican."* "But don't you give up meat during Lent?"* Again the purpose of the fast was being defined as a "giving up."* I answered, "Yes, and not only meat but also Dairy products including eggs."* The young man then replied, "Yes, that is
what you have to give up, but what are you personally giving up for the fast?"
His reply expressed what I believe is a symptomatic part of the malady of western man, a propensity towards individualism.* His question revealed that he was still searching for something which was eluding his grasp.* Not that he was himself cognizant of that which he was missing.* Indeed, his question almost touches the
purpose for the fast: "Yes, that is what you have to give up..."* This almost, but not quite expresses the Orthodox purpose of the fast.
In an above paragraph, I answered my own question by writing: "The purpose of the Fast is simply to teach us "obedience."*This is correct as far as it goes, but there is perhaps a more precise answer still available.* The Fast opens or reveals to us the path of salvation which is "obedience."* Our entering into the spirit of the Fast (which is obedience) is walking through the gates of that path which leads us to our triumph over death.* That which triumphs over death is "obedience."
*
Of course, it is not our path of obedience (for whom of us has truly obeyed) which leads us into our resurrection and triumph over death.* It is the path of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is His obedience and His Resurrection which grants to us our victory over the grave.* Yet, we must follow that path even while doing so imperfectly and often haltingly.* But the problem is not with the path, but with ourselves.* The path is narrow, but simple, which is to say it is well trodden and marked.* Along that path the Saints, who have traveled the path before us, have left many signs of their own struggle to walk in the way of obedience.* These signs show us that these were men and women of like passions with us, yet, they persevered in the path until the end of their earthly journey.* They have entered into the "Today is the day of Resurrection." And this is the end to which our journey through the Fast leads each of us.* For the Resurrection of all of mankind is in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.* For some that will be a Resurrection unto eternal life and to others a second death.*
But how does this differ from the meaning attributed to the fast by the two persons in the above story?*
Each of these were looking past simple obedience towards something "above and beyond the call of duty."* There is certainly nothing wrong with giving up smoking for Lent.* With smoking I have heard others speak of giving up any one or several of the following: chocolate, all sweets, caffeine, movies, television, alcohol, dancing, etc. Each of these may be a "good thing."* But there is a danger that a focus upon these can and may cloud the simplicity of the path of obedience.*
This is why I answered "Sin" to the question, "What are you giving up for Lent."* The
path of the Fast is always a path which leads us away from sin.* Certainly, if the other things which we give up assist us in keeping the Fast, then these are a "good thing."*However, I have said there is a malady in western man's approach to the Fast and identified it as his "propensity towards individualism."
These extra curricular rules added to the fast often reveal an individual's search for an
experience of God which is separate from the common unity of Orthodox experience. Many chaff at the idea that the Church has the authority to regulate our obedience to God. Often, (it seems to me) these extra curricular rules for the fast are a means to take back from the Church any obedience we have given her.* Yes, we will keep the rule of the fast (to abstain from meat and dairy products along with wine and oil), but
we create individual rules for ourselves, in order to retain a sense of individualism or self rule.* These private rules can give to us a sense of triumph or accomplishment which we then attribute as an experience of "drawing closer to God."*
This latter is dangerous, because it actually follows the path of Adam and Eve's disobedience.* It takes us out of the simple path of obedience, which leads us to the Resurrection of Christ, and puts us on a self made path which can and may confuse in us the experience of being made conformable to the image of Christ (an image of obedience).* Instead of being Resurrected in the image of Christ, we may find that we have created a Christ of our own imagination and conformed ourselves to an obedience of our own imagination.*
This latter path is quite prevalent among those who attempt to follow a rule of Lent outside of the Orthodox Church.* But, it is even possible for someone within the Church to fall into this trap and be lead out of the Fast of the Church into a Fast of their own making.* The path of obedience is the path open to us everyday, but this Fast given to us by the Church is open to us now, so that the Light of the Resurrection may illumine our minds more perfectly.* And by entering into and keeping the fast we are better prepared for the daily path of obedience which is
outside of the period of Great Lent.
May each who walks in this path be illumined by the light which is Christ.* And may we all arrive together to our common victory, "The Resurrection of Christ."
john
for Lent?* Without hesitation I replied, "Sin."
Somewhat shocked he stammered back, "But aren't you always supposed to be giving up sin?"* I replied, "Yes, but I don't seem to succeed very well."* This opened up our discussion of what is the purpose of Lent.* After he completed expounding his own understanding, he paused and asked, "What do you think?"* He was physically
stunned when I replied, "Your answer makes you a good Anglican."
"What do you mean? he replied, after gaining his composure.* It was apparent that he had thought that his being a Uniate Roman Catholic would mean that his approach to the fast would correspond to my Orthodox keeping of the fast.*After all, Uniatism is simply Orthodoxy with a twist of Papism, correct?
What is the purpose of the Fast?
*
The answer to this question as explained by the young man of the above story, is to describe the fast as "Giving up!"* This understanding of the fast is what prompted him to ask me, "What are you giving up for Lent?"* I answered his question, but did his question answer the more fundamental question, "What is the purpose of the Fast?"
His perspective identified the fast as a "giving up" of something.* In his account, he was giving up smoking, which as we have all been taught "is a good thing."* But his perspective fails to communicate the fullness of the Orthodox keeping of the fast. The purpose of the Fast is relatively simple, even if the keeping of it is a great struggle.*The purpose of the Fast is simply to teach us "obedience."* And because it is simply obedience which is required, we struggle to keep the fast.
A third participant entered into our conversation after I said, "Your answer makes you a good Anglican."* "But don't you give up meat during Lent?"* Again the purpose of the fast was being defined as a "giving up."* I answered, "Yes, and not only meat but also Dairy products including eggs."* The young man then replied, "Yes, that is
what you have to give up, but what are you personally giving up for the fast?"
His reply expressed what I believe is a symptomatic part of the malady of western man, a propensity towards individualism.* His question revealed that he was still searching for something which was eluding his grasp.* Not that he was himself cognizant of that which he was missing.* Indeed, his question almost touches the
purpose for the fast: "Yes, that is what you have to give up..."* This almost, but not quite expresses the Orthodox purpose of the fast.
In an above paragraph, I answered my own question by writing: "The purpose of the Fast is simply to teach us "obedience."*This is correct as far as it goes, but there is perhaps a more precise answer still available.* The Fast opens or reveals to us the path of salvation which is "obedience."* Our entering into the spirit of the Fast (which is obedience) is walking through the gates of that path which leads us to our triumph over death.* That which triumphs over death is "obedience."
*
Of course, it is not our path of obedience (for whom of us has truly obeyed) which leads us into our resurrection and triumph over death.* It is the path of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is His obedience and His Resurrection which grants to us our victory over the grave.* Yet, we must follow that path even while doing so imperfectly and often haltingly.* But the problem is not with the path, but with ourselves.* The path is narrow, but simple, which is to say it is well trodden and marked.* Along that path the Saints, who have traveled the path before us, have left many signs of their own struggle to walk in the way of obedience.* These signs show us that these were men and women of like passions with us, yet, they persevered in the path until the end of their earthly journey.* They have entered into the "Today is the day of Resurrection." And this is the end to which our journey through the Fast leads each of us.* For the Resurrection of all of mankind is in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.* For some that will be a Resurrection unto eternal life and to others a second death.*
But how does this differ from the meaning attributed to the fast by the two persons in the above story?*
Each of these were looking past simple obedience towards something "above and beyond the call of duty."* There is certainly nothing wrong with giving up smoking for Lent.* With smoking I have heard others speak of giving up any one or several of the following: chocolate, all sweets, caffeine, movies, television, alcohol, dancing, etc. Each of these may be a "good thing."* But there is a danger that a focus upon these can and may cloud the simplicity of the path of obedience.*
This is why I answered "Sin" to the question, "What are you giving up for Lent."* The
path of the Fast is always a path which leads us away from sin.* Certainly, if the other things which we give up assist us in keeping the Fast, then these are a "good thing."*However, I have said there is a malady in western man's approach to the Fast and identified it as his "propensity towards individualism."
These extra curricular rules added to the fast often reveal an individual's search for an
experience of God which is separate from the common unity of Orthodox experience. Many chaff at the idea that the Church has the authority to regulate our obedience to God. Often, (it seems to me) these extra curricular rules for the fast are a means to take back from the Church any obedience we have given her.* Yes, we will keep the rule of the fast (to abstain from meat and dairy products along with wine and oil), but
we create individual rules for ourselves, in order to retain a sense of individualism or self rule.* These private rules can give to us a sense of triumph or accomplishment which we then attribute as an experience of "drawing closer to God."*
This latter is dangerous, because it actually follows the path of Adam and Eve's disobedience.* It takes us out of the simple path of obedience, which leads us to the Resurrection of Christ, and puts us on a self made path which can and may confuse in us the experience of being made conformable to the image of Christ (an image of obedience).* Instead of being Resurrected in the image of Christ, we may find that we have created a Christ of our own imagination and conformed ourselves to an obedience of our own imagination.*
This latter path is quite prevalent among those who attempt to follow a rule of Lent outside of the Orthodox Church.* But, it is even possible for someone within the Church to fall into this trap and be lead out of the Fast of the Church into a Fast of their own making.* The path of obedience is the path open to us everyday, but this Fast given to us by the Church is open to us now, so that the Light of the Resurrection may illumine our minds more perfectly.* And by entering into and keeping the fast we are better prepared for the daily path of obedience which is
outside of the period of Great Lent.
May each who walks in this path be illumined by the light which is Christ.* And may we all arrive together to our common victory, "The Resurrection of Christ."
john