Let Your Life Speak
September 26, 2023
Lent with the Saints: Sharbel Makhluf
Isaiah 58:1–9a; Psalm 51:3–4, 5–6ab, 18–19; Matthew 9:14–15
Fasting is one of the three traditional ways to observe Lent (prayer and almsgiving are the other two), based on Jesus’ description of them in our Ash Wednesday Gospel.
Lent Prepares Us for Disappointment
In a digital age virtual reality seems more convenient than actuality. Whims can be satisfied on the spot. You can pay extra for same-day delivery. If the name of an actor is on the tip of your tongue, Google can help your memory. When you want out-of-season vegetables you just need to find the right supermarket. In practice, these are perks of twenty-first-century living (in the First World) that we are reluctant to give up. The incremental danger, however, is a creeping distance from the world where disappointment and loss are inevitable.