The Christian season of Lent is commonly represented as a time to ‘give up’ something, for the six weeks leading up to Easter. Some forego chocolate, or alcohol, or social media. Here I want to offer another view.
It’s not about what you give up, so much as about what you take up, develop or affirm. Giving something up is of almost no value unless we decide to put something in its place.
Consider the parable of a garden plot. This last week, my son Nick made a superb effort to clear out the weeds and overgrown plants which had entirely taken over his veggie garden. The result:
But this is only the beginning: the question is now what will be planted and grow there—and what we all know is that weeds will take over just as surely as they did before, unless something else is planted to make best use of this excellent soil.
The garden plot is a parable of human lives: when we want to change, to ‘give up’ one activity or pattern of behaviour, we need to work at least as hard on what will replace it.
Pope Francis followed this line of thinking, when recently he issued a suggestion for what people might do during Lent. His proposal draws attention to positive habits, attitudes and actions, far more than what we might ‘give up’. He uses the traditional idea of ‘fasting’, but clearly the focus is on what might be taken up in place of what is foregone.
I think this invitation speaks for itself and will add no more. Rather, I invite my readers to reflect upon this opportunity, during this Lent and perhaps for all our days.
For this season of Lent, we might consider one of these lines and how it applies to us—and see what grows.