Ready for Lent to be Over?

Here is a reflection from my Lenten journey ten years ago.

Somoto, Nicaragua, March, 2003

We visited and talked with people yesterday who work with the poor, people living on the extreme edge of poverty – indigenous peasants, mostly. All of my colleagues on this trip are very motivated people, sensitive to the injustices and wrongs in the world, upset with a political and economic system that keeps people subjugated and living under conditions of poverty. Enough to ignite righteous anger!

We are board members of a foundation that has funded projects to get to the root causes of these problems. Most of the participants on the trip have not lived outside the United States nor spent time living among the poor, but they are intelligent and well meaning people who desire to see a more just world. The benefactor and founder of the foundation is traveling with us. He is now advanced in age and his plan is to give away his wealth and he sincerely wants it to be effectively used to help the poor.
 

 These fellow travelers are mostly fun to be with, though, as with any group traveling together, a few quirks and irritations surface from time to time.  Because they have heard some horror stories of getting sick while traveling in poor countries, they constantly ask me at meals “is it safe to eat this?”  I say, “well for me probably it is ok, but not for you.” One of our members is vegetarian and it falls to me to ask the waiter detailed questions to try to ascertain what food she can order that is pure and unadulterated.   

Their values are similar to mine though we differ in one fundamental way - they are not Christians, or at least they don’t profess to be.  That is not a judgment on my part. They let it be known in subtle and not so subtle ways that… “I’m not a religious person…” -“I grew up in such and such a church, but I don’t go to church anymore…” One of them actually said, “I’m spiritual but not religious”.  Oh my!  Though I don’t want to toot my horn about it, my Christian faith is foundational to who I am, and I have not kept it a secret that I am “religious” – i.e. I actually do go to church.  With due tolerance they accept this as my “right” - a sort of throw-back to the past, I suppose.

These are good people and I find it is both a privilege and a testing to be with this group of secular humanists – a sort of self examination of my own sensitivities as a Christian. Some of them have a better sense of humor then me, some are better conversationalists and some are kinder and more overtly compassionate.  

As a Lenten practice I am reading a little book by Francois Fenelon, a French mystic.  Today I read about “eternity advancing to receive us” – I meditate about this.   

I love this life and such interesting opportunities as this trip to fully engage in it; I will miss it I suppose, (life that is) but the years are advancing faster than I can grasp.  The other day H, who is in his 80s, said something like, “I still have not come to a conclusion about the afterlife…” Well, soon enough both he and I will find out; no more wondering what is truth, why injustice, what are God’s final judgments?  It will all be revealed – no more dealing with misery and poverty and the doubts about faith and life.

Meantime, the tensions of life, contradictions, observances of injustice, la lucha continues.  But, while those with me seem to be going about life not giving questions of finality much thought, I think about this a lot.  Maybe they do too – how could they avoid it? And I ponder what Fenelon wrote: “The joy and assurance of forgiveness is ours - let my soul rest in God today!” As the verse below says, Jesus promised eternal life. But, thank God, it is not my place to judge who this is for.  Even as judgmental attitudes creep in I pray not to judge or be tempted to “spiritual pride”, comparing myself to others. 

During this time of Lent I am conscious of God’s presence every day, and God’s grace. This is enough for me to think about today.  Easter draws ever closer and I’m ready for Lent to be over.  This may be rushing it a bit, but what about you? Are you getting ready for Easter?

And this is what he promised us-even eternal life. I John 2:25

Reflection

Easter brings the awareness that God is present even when his presence is not directly noticed. Easter brings the good news that, although things seem to get worse in the world, the Evil One has already been overcome. Easter allows us to affirm that although we remain preoccupied with many little things, Our Lord walks with us on the road and keeps explaining the Scriptures to us. Thus there are many rays of hope casting their light on our way through life.  Henri Nouwen