Today is the first day of lent 2020. I always give something up for lent. Why do I do this? Simple my mother is the answer. I have vivid memories of her coming home from work for several days after Ash Wednesday physically ill. Not because of flu or other ailments but because she always gave up coffee for lent. She was a pot-a-day coffee drinker and when she would quit cold turkey it would bring on terrible withdrawal symptoms. I mean this was a woman who disliked pop with a passion but she would sip Mt Dew to ease her discomfort.
The question is why would she do this? She did it because it was difficult and in doing so she showed her love for Jesus. It was her way of living like Joel recommends in the first reading when he states “Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God.” My mom was tearing her physical self in an effort to return to God. She was living like Paul recommends in the second reading in his letter to the Corinthians “We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.” She was representing Jesus’s sacrifice by her own sacrifice.
Finally, she did this without complaint. Had I not been a witness to her suffering I would never have known. This is just how Mathew tells us act in today’s Gospel by saying “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them;“. She did not give up coffee to impress anyone or to draw attention to herself. Rather, she did it to prove her solidarity with Christ.
So now you know why giving something up for lent is part of me. I am no pot-a-day coffee drinker but I do love starting my day with a couple cups. Because of my mom’s example I will forego coffee for the next 40 days. In a effort to bring a new flavor I will also be publishing my learnings from the readings at least two times per week.
I hope that you have a blessed lent!
GVW4U 