A blessed time

One week into Lent and I find myself enthusiastic to ‘keep’ Lent, whatever that might mean, and somewhat challenged by the ease with which my Muslim friends have embraced the start of Ramadan. This year, of course, for the first time in my memory, Lent and Ramadan, both penitential seasons in the life of the Church (Lent) and for Muslims (Ramadan) began on Wednesday18th February. Both Muslims and Christians regard this ‘penitential’ season as a time to become more purposeful in life, to leave bad habits behind and make a renewed commitment to serving others.

I find it quite delightful that, although a penitential period of time in the Christian calendar might, at first, appear rather dour, sombre or dull, lacking in excitement and more about self-examination, that as Muslims and Christians embrace this time together, we can actually learn a great deal from each other.

I have been challenged, for example, that my Muslim friends relish the opportunity during Ramadan, to refrain from eating and drinking during the day but make a tremendous effort to break their fast at sunset in the company of others. From the outside, looking in on the ‘nuts and bolts’ of keeping Ramadan, I can see that this is often a joyful time when people are reminded of the pleasure we have in eating together and shouldering one another’s joys and burdens.

Reflecting on my commitment to ‘keep’ Lent this year, I can see that my decision to not eat sugar (sweets, biscuits, cakes and sugary drinks) for the forty days (and nights) of Lent is, by comparison, quite a lonely choice. It has also caused me to ponder a little more the question, why? Why did I decide to banish sugar from my diet this year? Was it actually a cloaked attempt to improve my diet, a trigger to remind me that the pathway towards Easter should involve personal discipline or a sacrifice that I thought might align me with the sacrifices of Christ? Hopefully, it was a little bit of each of these elements.

Hopefully, despite my early intentions, it is also turning into a way of standing shoulder to shoulder with those around me who are also fasting. An opportunity to delve a little deeper into the religious significance of developing personal discipline, becoming more prayerful and aware of the impact my choices have on others, And, joyfully, a way of connecting with similar people who see through the excesses of modern living; ready meals, fast food, expensive desserts, luxurious chocolate, coffee and matcha, a poorly sustained meat and fish industry and cheap meat obtained from livestock, unethically treated and then slaughtered for food.

Ultimately, of course, Christians return to the bedrock of the Christian tradition for guidance on the ‘keeping’ of Lent, the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness written in the Gospels and the reading chosen for this service of Holy Communion.

But as we ‘keep’ this penitential season together, we might remember that hunger, fasting, simplicity and discipline are just vehicles for learning a greater truth about ourselves, and God. The season of Lent and Ramadan teach us to look outside of own frames of reference to consider the other. My Christian friend, Emma, experiences sacrifice and then appreciates a greater sense of what God has done for her and the incentive to make sacrifices for others. My Muslim friend, Yasir, experiences hunger and better appreciates what it is to make sacrifices himself so that his friend does not go hungry.

This year, in February and March, whether we call the time frame Lent or Ramadan, we are being transformed by a commitment to seek a better way of being. We are intimately bound together in this searching, this sacrifice, this journey and the benefits soon spill out into even greater appreciation of what it means to live the rest of our lives, together.

There are still 32 days left of Lent and 22 days of Ramadan. My prayer for all of us is that by the time we arrive at Eid and Easter, we will be better equipped to see each other, make space for each other and thank God for the privilege of living alongside and learning from, each other.