Lord speak into our hearts with your love and open our lives to your grace. Amen.
So another year, another Lent and what are we giving up this year?
Chocolate? Sweeties? Biscuits, crisps, wine, surely not gin?!
Or as our Gospel might suggest….getting ourselves all concerned with the outward observance of things for maximum ‘show’, whilst missing the deeper engagement which is about our inner transformation.
Jesus so often was at odds with the Pharisees who loved to focus on the detail of the Jewish law, but missed the bigger principle that is at the heart of it. Its to do with the heart rather than the head – not slavishly following the rules, but recognizing what the rules were supposed to be about…its more about what is going on inside us than the outward action.
This is so much harder to judge isn’t it? If we are seen to be doing the right thing, then others might think we’re good people, and praise us! But the scriptures are full of rather dire warnings about this – think of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector praying in the Temple that we hear about in Luke’s Gospel which Jesus tells to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt.
The Pharisee is full of self-congratulation and self-importance, whereas the tax-collector, bows his head and beats his breast in shame, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” But this man is justified rather than the other; for as Jesus says, ‘all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’
And in today’s Gospel – Jesus is teaching his followers and he couldn’t be clearer – do not make a big show of your faith, do not sound a trumpet to draw the attention of others to your good works, do not brag about how generous you are – when you do these things – you are receiving your reward already- in the praise and admiration of others. Although to be honest, we all get rather fed up with this sort of behaviour – and good as these actions might be, if it’s all about the person doing them, it rather loses the point.
But in reality, it’s more that if we are focussing on the reward we get in the accolades of others, we are missing the much greater reward and blessing of our Heavenly Father, it is fundamentally a lack of trust, or confidence in the promises of God.
And this isn’t surprising really – because I guess for many of us, our experiences in life haven’t given us that much confidence in the idea of treasure that is unlimited and secure! Whatever that treasure might be for us, it so often seems to be finite and conditional and at risk of disappearing all too quickly.
Maybe when we were growing up, there wasn’t enough of the things we needed to feel secure – whether that was money, food, friendship, or love. We learn to take what we can when we can, to mistrust each other, and if we’re not careful, that can begin to affect how we see God too.
But Jesus keeps trying to tell his followers that the opposite is true!
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where all is held safe and secure.
It’s important that we come to believe and trust this – because it affects how we can live with joy for ourselves and generosity towards others. Jesus makes it clear that the first priority of the law is love of neighbour: how we share and care for others – there would be no lack for any of us if we all shared what we had!
How we view and value others – if the prime consideration is about love then this is more important that the rules – no need for 10 commandments or any laws if we truly lived with love for one another…
As we enter into Lent, there is always a temptation, appropriately enough, to become too fixated on rules and limitations. Giving up things can of course be one way of observing Lent and helping us appreciate the things we normally take for granted, and fasting, in whatever way we choose, can help us focus on God more fully. But what is the fast or the giving up that God might be asking of us?
It’s not the fast of self-righteousness or self-satisfaction – rather the giving up of limiting our care or God’s love – for ourselves and for others. It’s the letting go of false ideals and aspirations, and the taking up of the truth of God’s unending love and delight in us all.
As St Paul puts it – no matter what the world may do to us, when we live in the way of love we are true and known, even though vilified, alive and rejoicing, even if attacked and disparaged, rich, despite our poverty, having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
So this Lent, whatever we do, whatever we are giving up, let us learn to live in the fullness of God’s love, for each other and for ourselves.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Service: Reverend Michelle Dalliston. 22nd February 2023. (St John The Baptist Church Peterborough UK)