My First Lent

For the last two years I’ve been tossing around the idea of participating in Lent. Last year I decided not to, but this year the consideration was a lot heavier. Still, I was on the fence about it a lot until yesterday, trying to figure out if it was even something I could realistically do- and why I felt the drive to do it in the first place.

People might disagree, but I don’t feel like having an interest in doing something is always a good enough reason to actually do it– especially where that concerns religious practices. And as a Christo-Irish Reconstructionist pulling from a living faith with uninterrupted continuity stretching back nearly 2,000 years? I feel like have an additional responsibility not only to understand the faith of the practices I pull from, but the functions and purpose of the practices I’m considering, and what they mean in context.

In lost cases, in order to do that I’d start with surface explanations- then move into Academia to see if those explanations were supported by historical evidence. But when I was doing my leadup research this year, I was impressed by how similar source explanations were across the board in terms of what it was, how to do it, and why.

This is, honestly, one of the perks of drawing from a continuous living faith. Which is why I draw most of the Christian elements of my practice from the modern Anglican and Catholic  denominations over the old Gaelic Christian ones; they’re blended with the old Gaelic Christian ones where I can, of course. But creating a blended approximation starting with a modern basis does cut out quite a bit of work comparatively- and honestly, the Irish Reconstructionism part of everything is hard enough as is.

Anyways, across the board it was all pretty consistent- even if some offered a bit more explanation than others. So I’m fairly confident with surface explanations given. And according to those explanations:

Lent is a 40-day period of Christ-centered devotion between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday [1]. The climax […] is Holy Week- the week immediately preceding Easter, or Resurrection Sunday [2]; [It] served as a time [when] those preparing for Baptism underwent a season of fasting and penitence […] joined by lapsed sinners who were to be reconciled [as well as] all Christians, who in solidarity offered these days as a time of fasting, prayer, and self-denial [3]

The call in Lent is the call to discipleship [… a …] penitential season of self-reflection and intentional spiritual awareness; a journey with Jesus, [… and …] the disciples. Jesus’ 40-day temptation retreat in the wilderness provides the framework for our introspection and spiritual regimen [5]; It mirrors Christ’s 40 days of fasting and prayer in the desert directly after his baptism, right before his public ministry started [6]

Lent is about dying […] But [it’s also] about asking God to bring about new life in us  […] The purpose of these disciplines, again, is to make room for new life and actually take up that which is life-giving [3]; a season of intentional discipleship under [and with] Christ, to draw nearer to and become like him. Along the way, our sin and enslaving habits are put to death, and we learn to internalize and share in Christ’s resurrection power [1]; [It’s] a yearly journey which reminds us, humbles us, and takes us back to the foot of the cross [4]

Now, I don’t want to participate in lent to necessarily grow closer to the Gods- let alone God. Especially since I’m still not sure where I even stand on the topic of Divine existence in the first place. So for me, that’s not really the point, and that’s a big part of what was originally holding me back.

But the idea of Lent being a season of intense spiritual introspection modeling Jesus’ fasting in the desert after his Baptism, before moving into his religious life, really struck a cord with me. So, too, did the themes of spiritual death- of killing the bad to make way for the new, in search of spiritual resurrection and renewal; digging into those two themes alone, participating in Lent would be oddly fitting this year.

Not only was February the month I originally took my oaths to Cailleach and Brighid (on the day Lent starts on this year, even)… But I was going to start a Year and a Day this month anyways. And the purpose of that was to find (or create) a sort of foundation of faith, with the explicit intent of building a faith in which Devotional Living was a possibility.

If ever there were a time to “reset everything”- to clear the spiritual and religious slate as preparation for reconnection and reconstruction (which, while not the inherent intent, will inevitably bring me closer to the Gods at some point)? I think that Lent would, undeniably, be the time to do it. Especially given the themes described so far.

Which brings me to the question of how? Because traditionally the act of fasting is a huge part of Lent- whether we’re talking the strict rules of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, or the more lax ones of the Western Churches; regardless of which tradition’s Lenten rules are being followed, fasting’s a significant part of it in some form… And it’s not easy.

Fasting means a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but they are not to equal that of a full meal. [7] it is not acceptable to eat lamb, chicken, beef, pork, ham, deer and most other meats. However, eggs, milk, fish, grains, and fruits and vegetables are all allowed [8] 

In addition, Catholics and other Christians often choose to give up specific pleasures, such as sweets, alcohol, or social media, during Lent as a way to foster simplicity and self-control [9]

Not that it’s supposed to be easy in the first place, mind you… But I have health problems that render it difficult to digest plant products. Which means the majority of my diet is comprised of animal based products that I can’t give up without a significant risk to my health. I don’t get a choice in that- which is annoying because I would like to try and fast as a matter of tradition. But I think my Doctor, no matter how much she adores me, would try and throttle me if I tried.

So fasting is out of the question entirely. That’s not such a big deal, though, in the grand scheme; pretty much every religion with fasting requirements makes exceptions for those with health problems. So for all intents and purposes, I wouldn’t be required to do it anyways.

But what’s not out of the question is the common Catholic and Anglican advice on abstinence- another common component of Lent, that’s generally considered important to participate in as well. So while I can’t fast, I can practice abstinence in some form.

But what to give up. That’s the question, isn’t it? Whatever it is, it’s not supposed to be so difficult that it’s unobtainable- but it should be difficult enough that it feels impactful to you. It should also be done with intent, and a mind towards the explicit purpose of the season- meaning nothing you were planning on doing anyway, and nothing you need to get rid of as a matter of health, etc.

Give up something reasonable. I don’t mean easy. I mean reasonable.

Give up something that you will notice. You will want it, but it won’t be there. Something you will probably regret giving up about two weeks in.

Give up something that you don’t have to give up. Lent is not a diet.

There are also things that are bad for us even in small quantities, like tobacco.  Giving something up for Lent is giving up something that is normally good for you.  

So feel free to give up cake or beer or candy or coffee because, in moderation, these aren’t usually bad for someone.  Give up television watching or a favorite social media app. It is often recommended that you not give up something you “were going to give up anyway.” [4]

That sounds easy enough, right? On a surface level, sure. But it significantly reduces your options- and I think that’s kind of the point, really. But it’s especially difficult for me, as someone who doesn’t have many of the traditional options in the first place. But whatever I give up, there’s still an underlying purpose to it: To refresh, renew, and revive. And so I feel like giving up something that’s holding me back from growing in faith is the way to go in my approach to Lent.

When I thought on it, though, everything holding me back is something which is out of my control; everything I need to do that would genuinely be impacting to my progress on a major scale, is something I (again, annoyingly) don’t have a choice in at the moment… So what does meet that criteria, that’s within my control, and which is also spiritually impactful? What material or other thing could I give up that’s not necessary, but which is still holding me back in my faith?

I was drawing a big, massive blank, until I read several articles on what to do for lent, that suggested not abstinence, but creation… Specifically the use of Lent to create new, spiritually beneficial practices and habits. And I realized that’s already the route I’m sort of meandering down anyways– but I could push it a bit further if I wanted to. So why not lean into it a little bit harder?

The one thing I’m significantly lacking in, that I actually hate to admit to, is my Virtues; I wouldn’t say I’ve been ignoring them to the point I’m merely paying lipservice to them at this point- because I certainly do attempt to follow them to the best of my abilities. But other than a couple here and there, I’ve never taken the time to actually sit down and actively cultivate them- and the ones I have actively attempted to cultivate, I admit I’ve gotten more than a little lax with over the last couple years.

That’s a problem because, to me, a religion isn’t a religion without a system of virtues. Virtues are part of the core of a faith, and a living extension of its teachings… And if my intent in participating in Lent, especially as a precursor to beginning an intense year long study, is to clean the slate and start from zero? It makes sense that “zero” would- or should- conceivably focus on the virtues.

Problem solved.

The end result is a Lent that, for me, will ultimately combine both abstinence and creation in a way that’s… Maybe a little unique- but I don’t think enough so that it will cause problems, or change the spirit of the season (too much, at least).

Each week will focus on one or two (maybe more) virtues that I think would be spiritually impactful or necessary during my Year and a Day. And during that week, I’ll focus on researching them both in a modern context, and in a loric one. I’ll also be attempting to cultivate those within myself- both through the development of good habits associated with them, and in the abstinence from something which I feel negatively impacts or prevents their cultivation once examined.

It’s probably a little unorthodox, true. Most people pick one singular thing and carry it through with them until the end of Lent… And here I am, going to be doing the Gods know how many, however successfully. But I’m limited, so this will have to do- at least until I’m either healthier, or I have my feet beneath me better where it concerns Lent.

Likewise, instead of breaking on Sundays, I’ll be breaking on the three holidays of my own that fall in the Lent period: Lá Céadamh (March 1st), Lá Fhéile Pádraig (March 17th), and Lá Fhéile na Caillí (March 25th). I’ll also be breaking on my 5 year Wedding Anniversary (March 13th) as it’s a significant celebratory landmark for my Husband and I; that’s roughly equal to the Sunday breaks that are generally allotted in order to celebrate Christ according to standard tradition, so I don’t feel it’s unfair or off the mark.

Wish me luck, because this is certainly going to be interesting.