Ego to Gracefulness!
Some of my friends stop taking alcohol during lent. They resume with vigour from Easter!! And they feel good that they had abstained from alcohol for 40 days. Some don't take meat! Some abstain from sexual intimacy! Some do regular prayers! Some do fast!
If 40 days of abstinence or reflection on life helps for the rest of the year or life, it is much more appreciable!
The ultimate aim of these practices are not self purification. Rather self purification is a path we take to be other oriented.
Abstinence from meat!, Has it made you more compassionate to the lives around? Abstinence from sexual intimacy!, Has it made you more loving and caring your spouse or children? Did you feed someone who is hungry and starving from your fasting? Have you become more compassionate through your prayers?
For example, you saved money abstaining from alcohol and spend it again on yourself at a later stage or in a different way on yourself, I say, you better drink than do this drama!
Spend that money, on your needy children or wife or on persons in need! That makes some sense! And if you feel good, please continue your cheerful lentern practice! From "cheers" to cheerfulness!
But this is different!
Jesus went into wilderness for 40 days! And he was tempted! He won the temptation and returned to Galilee to spread the Good News! (Mk 1/12-15) At the initial stages of his ministry Jesus probably went through many struggles, challenges, oppositions, feeling of fed up and many disappointments! "Is it worth continuing?" might have been his strongest challenge.
When you get time you may read the novel, River of Blood in English or Kuruthipunal in Tamil by Mr. Indira Paarthasarathy. It depicts the life of persons who work for the liberation of people. Among all the pains, the rejection by the very people they work for is the most hurting pain!
Those who seriously and sincerely work for the liberation of people must know this!
When you enter liberative work with enthusiasm alone, soon you will realize you are caught many times on the wrong foot. That is the time your expectations meet with the raw reality. Because of this, many will run away! A few, will step back to launch afresh!! Jesus did exactly that! "Action - Reflection - Action"
Penance is far different from this. Every religion suggests to practice certain types of penance. Most of them are for self purification. Incurring bodily pain to purify the spirit. Body Vs the Spirit type of understanding! Christian penance is not self care but communitarian care. Most often we think, self purification will lead to social purification! The more number of individuals who do purification efforts the more are saved! Christian way of thinking is different, get involved in social transformation and you will realize your self is gradually getting purified!
For example, instead of you going hungry by fasting and feeling so proud and boosted about it, Go and Feed the hungry. From Ahangaram to Anugrham! From self ego you travel to become a carrier of divine grace to others.
Therefore, Care both your body and spirit! Don't pamper or starve them!! Don't allow one to dominate the other! Let both be comfortable with each other!
Mend your ways! Instead of sparing more time for your personal needs, including spiritual and religious activities; spend time with the lonely, the rejected, the people in the slums and villages, in the old age home, with the sick and the elderly and the orphans! May be on the way to them or with them you could say a comforting prayer! even if it is a short one!!
Try this out during the lent! and if you had enjoyed it, extend the lent!
Lent is a cheerful period! Don't miss it and don't mix it with sorrow!
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