Why are Prayer, Fasting, & Almsgiving considered the 3 pillars of Lent?
I witnessed a miracle last week. My kids and I watched an episode of “Tidying up with Marie Kondo.” The central mantra of her best-selling book, show and method of tidying is “Keep only what brings you joy.” Half way through the show my kids left the TV screen (a miracle in and of itself) and went upstairs and thinned out their bursting stuffed animal bins, deciding to keep only a handful. This was done completely unsolicited by me and with a genuine sense of eagerness and joy. I kept rubbing my eyes and asking my husband if I was dreaming.
Author Tom Beaudoin states that Jesus preached what he calls an “economic spirituality,” which means that as Christians there has to be an integration of who we are with how we spend and share our resources; In short, what we buy is an important part of how we live out our faith as believers.
The few times when Jesus allows himself to be pushed up against a wall to answer direct questions about our salvation and eternal life; when Jesus talks explicitly about God’s final judgment on our lives (aka, who is going to heaven and who is going to hell) when he talks about what is most important in the final analysis – what does Jesus talk about?
He doesn’t talk about who you are sleeping with. He doesn’t talk about if you gave proper respect to a pastor, a bishop or pope. He doesn’t talk about scripture being inerrant. He doesn’t ask if you are a member of a church or any institution. He doesn’t ask if you knew Jesus as your personal Lord and savior. He doesn’t ask if you did the rituals correctly. What does he talk about? How we share our resources. Clearly, Jesus made this the ultimate sign of faithfulness to God. This kind of prayerful giving is what Jesus says is at the very center of our Christian way of life. Our fasting and giving alms is the prayer that helps us make the needs of others our own, especially the needy of our world - not because Jesus is scolding us but rather because sharing with others is the heart of the good news that sets us free and brings us joy.
So, I suspect that the joy my children “caught” while listening to Marie Kondo’s mantra is a part of the deep spiritual truth that Jesus was trying to teach us; that living simply so that other’s may simply live is an essential part of how we build the of the Kingdom of God – and that true security and joy is not found in what we have but in what we can do without. And yet…
· 6 million children under the age of 5 die every year as a result of hunger.
· 1.2 billion people on this planet live on less than $1 per day.
· Each day more than 30,000 children die from preventable and treatable causes such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, measles or malaria.
· 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water; 4 billion live without decent sanitation.
· 3 million children die each year from water born diseases.
We’ve all heard the saying “God comforts us in our affliction, and afflicts us in our comfort.” Well, in light of these statistics, I feel afflicted by the two televisions I have in my home, the food that goes to waste in the refrigerator and the surplus of clothing, toys and stuff that we spend countless hours organizing and cleaning. Perhaps Lent is about feeling this affliction and having a sincere metanoia – a returning to God; a return to the giving and simplicity that will restore our joy – and this is good news, not suffering. It’s being saved not punished. Lent simply invites us to make space for the joy of the Gospel.
Send your Crazy Catholic Question to Lisa Brown at dre@ctredeemer.org or read past columns at www.crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com
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