The website features audio commentary from Muslims, many of them Americans, on how they practice Ramadan, what it signifies for them and some of the challenges that they have experienced. Most of the reflections are three to five minutes in length and are well worth the time. I used the website as an assignment for my students when we studied Islam and these testimonies are, in part, what inspired me to make my Lenten Ramadan.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Day 18: Revealing Ramadan
Something I have been saving for a rainy (or snowy, as the case may be) day is a wonderful collection of personal reflections from Muslims on the meaning of Ramadan in their lives. I would highly recommend taking a few minutes and visiting "Revealing Ramadan" which was produced by Krista Tippett from Being (formerly Speaking of Faith) on NPR.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Day 17: Taking a Break
" . . . for nothing will be impossible for God." Lk 1:37
Waking up to four inches of snow on the ground in late March is not ordinarily my idea of a good time. But alas, it was the reality and it was beautiful; the tree branches were resplendent with the heavy, wet, white coating and the cardinals were singing as I cleaned off the cars and cleared the walk. I had the distinct impression that the whole ordeal was to due to an Old Man Winter who was bitter that his time was up and then turned around and tossed one last defiant snowball as he made his exit until, hopefully, next December. Of course, the fact that it was both a Friday and the Solemnity of the Annunciation (and, hence, not a fast day . . . see Canon 1251) certainly contributed to my good mood helped me cope with the white stuff which, after all, will be gone again in a matter of days.
As I shoveled the walk I imagined all the grousing around town at that very moment; various expletives directed at the unpredictability of Mother Nature and her seeming preemptive strike against Spring. But I actually had a wonderful prayer while I shoveled and began the day's reflection on the mystery of the Annunciation. Sure, I was inconvenienced by the snow, but it was a blip on the radar compared to the shock of being young, unmarried and pregnant in a first century Palestine where such developments could, in the best case scenario, spell ostracization from friends and family and at worst mean, well, the worst one could imagine. My shoveling soon became a labor of love as I breathed in the cool, crisp air and reveled in the beauty around me.
Later in the day when I paused to pray, I opened Luke's Gospel to read his account of the interaction between Mary and Gabriel. Recently, I have really been drawn to imaginative prayer and have found very fruitful the practice of placing myself in the scene and picturing what it may have been like. As a man I admittedly have absolutely no idea what it would be like to be pregnant, but I imagined how Mary's mind must have been racing as she attempted to comprehend this new reality and the fear that must have gripped her as the angel's words fell upon her ears. But then he essentially told her to take a deep breath and relax, "for nothing will be impossible for God." What calming words for each of us to hear. In the turmoil, anxiety and hectic nature of our own lives, it will be OK. And even if it isn't OK, God is there, along for the ride, waiting to help us find hope amidst the impossible.
My prayer throughout the day was for women who find themselves in situations similar to Mary's. Faced with the difficulty of an unplanned pregnancy or the prospect of being a single mother, such a situation must seem impossible and too much to bear. I don't pretend to understand that situation, but I feel for the confusion and fear that I would most certainly feel.
But today is a Solemnity, a celebration. Mary ultimately came to terms with her situation and recognized through faith that somehow, beyond her comprehension, everything would indeed be OK. And she rejoiced. And so I rejoice. I explained to my students that I was breaking the fast today because it was as though today we are invited to Jesus' baby shower . . . a cause for a party and celebration as the preparation for new life, as challenging and unexpected as it may be, has begun.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Day 16: Hypocrite?
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. . . . When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting." Mt 6:5;16
I have wrestled with this passage since Ash Wednesday when this was the Gospel reading. I have wrestled with being very public and telling others about what I am doing. I have wrestled with whether or not I should have set up a blog as a means of expression. I have wrestled with how much of this is well-intentioned and how much of it is about me. I have wrestled with whether I am one of the hypocrites of which Jesus speaks. I was eager, therefore, to meet with my spiritual director today for the first time since the beginning of Lent.
One of the more powerful images in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is that of the "Two Standards." As a former soldier, Ignatius tended to use military imagery in his writing (a fact that I sometimes find troubling, but which is intended to be symbolic). Since a standard was the banner carried into battle by an army, the "Two Standards" refer to "whose side I am on": do I carry the banner of Christ or the banner of the Evil One? What are my motivations? What do I hope to gain? As he reminded me of this poignant piece in the Exercises, my spiritual director challenged me to remain vigilant throughout this Lent as to what I sense is going on internally. All things we do that bring us joy, pleasure and satisfaction in life are done with some degree of selfishness. Even the greatest sacrifices we make for others bring us a sense of obligation fulfilled and "mission accomplished." Why not direct these energies towards things that are good, build up the Kingdom of God and celebrate our humanity?
As I once again reflected on my motivations for my Lenten fasting I am confronted with two realities:
One reality is the intentions with which I began this endeavor. I have mentioned in earlier postings a desire to be in solidarity with others, to foster understanding between people of different faiths, to deepen my own Lenten prayer experience and to create a greater awareness of my own food habits. I have not mentioned, however, my general feeling about the internet. I find electronic communications to be a remarkable tool for self-expression and the communication of ideas. Facebook has not only connected me with long lost friends, but has also aided in the rise of political movements and the overthrow of dictators. But I have sometimes found the internet to be a toxic place as well. The proliferation of pornography online would be an obvious example of this toxicity but what also disturbs me is the tenor of many online conversations. It takes little effort to create a screen name and vilify anyone and everyone with an opinion different from my own. So back to my intentions . . . I felt compelled to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. I wanted to, at least temporarily, create a space online that could be safe, challenging and, God willing, inspirational. That is, I hope, carrying the standard of Christ.
The other reality is that I cannot deny that it is very gratifying to see that people are reading what I have to say. It is gratifying to know there have been over 500 visits to this blog. And that is what I need to wrestle with throughout this Lent. If this is simply a case of "Look at me!" then perhaps the standard I bear is not that of Christ.
This all reminds me of a story I once heard in a homily. A pastor ran into a young man who had grown up in the parish. "Hello there!" the priest said. "I haven't seen you in church for awhile. Is everything alright?" "Father," replied the young man, "I decided not to go anymore because the church is full of nothing but hypocrites." The priest looked at the young man and said, "Well, you should stop by sometime then. There's plenty of room for one more."
News regarding tomorrow:
One of the more powerful images in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola is that of the "Two Standards." As a former soldier, Ignatius tended to use military imagery in his writing (a fact that I sometimes find troubling, but which is intended to be symbolic). Since a standard was the banner carried into battle by an army, the "Two Standards" refer to "whose side I am on": do I carry the banner of Christ or the banner of the Evil One? What are my motivations? What do I hope to gain? As he reminded me of this poignant piece in the Exercises, my spiritual director challenged me to remain vigilant throughout this Lent as to what I sense is going on internally. All things we do that bring us joy, pleasure and satisfaction in life are done with some degree of selfishness. Even the greatest sacrifices we make for others bring us a sense of obligation fulfilled and "mission accomplished." Why not direct these energies towards things that are good, build up the Kingdom of God and celebrate our humanity?
As I once again reflected on my motivations for my Lenten fasting I am confronted with two realities:
One reality is the intentions with which I began this endeavor. I have mentioned in earlier postings a desire to be in solidarity with others, to foster understanding between people of different faiths, to deepen my own Lenten prayer experience and to create a greater awareness of my own food habits. I have not mentioned, however, my general feeling about the internet. I find electronic communications to be a remarkable tool for self-expression and the communication of ideas. Facebook has not only connected me with long lost friends, but has also aided in the rise of political movements and the overthrow of dictators. But I have sometimes found the internet to be a toxic place as well. The proliferation of pornography online would be an obvious example of this toxicity but what also disturbs me is the tenor of many online conversations. It takes little effort to create a screen name and vilify anyone and everyone with an opinion different from my own. So back to my intentions . . . I felt compelled to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. I wanted to, at least temporarily, create a space online that could be safe, challenging and, God willing, inspirational. That is, I hope, carrying the standard of Christ.
The other reality is that I cannot deny that it is very gratifying to see that people are reading what I have to say. It is gratifying to know there have been over 500 visits to this blog. And that is what I need to wrestle with throughout this Lent. If this is simply a case of "Look at me!" then perhaps the standard I bear is not that of Christ.
This all reminds me of a story I once heard in a homily. A pastor ran into a young man who had grown up in the parish. "Hello there!" the priest said. "I haven't seen you in church for awhile. Is everything alright?" "Father," replied the young man, "I decided not to go anymore because the church is full of nothing but hypocrites." The priest looked at the young man and said, "Well, you should stop by sometime then. There's plenty of room for one more."
News regarding tomorrow:
- It did not dawn on me until I came home and saw this in the Omaha World-Herald that Friday is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. Because solemnities are joyous celebrations on the Church calendar of what is generally a significant moment in the life of Christ, traditionally it is not a time for fasting or of abstinence from meat during Lent (much the same reason why I am not fasting on Sundays). As a result, I will not be observing Lenten Ramadan tomorrow in celebration of the mystery of the Incarnation and the beginning of the great story of Salvation through the person of Jesus Christ. Ahhhhhhh.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Day 15: Two Week Update
Two weeks into Lenten Ramadan and only four and a half more to go. Here are some miscellaneous thoughts, observations and questions to answer:
- The days are getting looooooonger. Since the Spring Equinox occurred within the past week, the time between sunrise and sunset is now longer than the time from sunset to sunrise. Each day adds two minutes and forty-five seconds of daylight so the fast gets slightly longer each day. Here is a chart that I consult for sunrise and sunset. Also, Google is helpful in that a search of "sunset Omaha" not only yields the time at the top of the page, but includes a nifty little image and a statement that reads something like "6 hours and 25 minutes from now." To answer a question, for the sake of consistency my official time is "Verizon Time," so I always consult my cell phone before breaking the fast. I might add that never before in my life have I been this aware of when the day begins and when it ends. It certainly has tuned me in more to the rhythm of the natural world.
- Pet Peeve to the nth. I mentioned yesterday how the social dimension of meal time seems magnified to me now. Not all is roses and lollipops though. My #1 pet peeve is listening to eating and this Lent it is rearing its ugly head. This demon usually manifests itself in the loud crunching of potato chips, the chewing and lip smacking of an open mouth or a dog lapping up water interminably. But when I sit down at the table and am not eating, even the sounds of ordinary noshing are sometimes magnified. I have most noticed this with my own children who, God love them, are still learning the nuances of table manners. Oh well. I guess I just have to do more talking to drown out the raucous Mephistopheles otherwise known as a celery stick.
- An appointment. My parish hosts a weekly Lenten prayer breakfast for the high school youth group and I am honored and excited to have been invited to speak tomorrow morning about my Lenten Ramadan. It should be a lot of fun! Breakfast is provided and the whole thing is done before sunrise.
- Weekly weight tracking. Another frequent question people are asking is "how much weight have you lost?" I have lost an additional two pounds this week for a total of five pounds. But let me remind everyone that that is only a side effect. I am not doing this for weight loss purposes and I have tried to actually eat a little bit more in the evenings in order to curtail rapid weight loss, but once I am satisfied I find it both difficult and wasteful to continue to eat too much more.
- Thank you. A word of thanks to everyone who has visited "A Lenten Ramadan (of Sorts)." Blogspot produces some interesting statistical information and in the first two weeks there have been nearly 500 pages views. This is an amazing number! The vast majority of these views have been in the US but there have also been visitors from Canada, Mexico, the UK, Hungary, Indonesia, Singapore, Belarus and Iran. If you have returned more than once, thank you for sharing your time with me. My hope is that together we can be peacemakers in this world.
- Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Despite the fact that the number of visitors has exceeded my expectations, I have been the recipient of only one comment (a question, actually). If you do have any questions about Lenten Ramadan that I have not yet answered, if you have comments on any of the entries or if you have suggestions that you feel might help enhance the experience, please feel free to let me know.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Day 14: Today I "Got It"
The last couple of days I have really been questioning why I embarked on this whole Lenten Ramadan journey. I have kind of felt ridiculous explaining it to people and I have begun to wonder if I am doing this to try and prove something to myself and others or if it really has any merit to it whatsoever in my life. I have seriously considered stopping it and doing something a bit more conventional.
But today I got it.
I didn't have some profound experience in prayer. I did spend a half hour today in prayer but it was nothing particularly memorable. I was distracted and flighty and my mind was all over. I couldn't quiet myself down. Ordinarily this would bother me and I may abandon the prayer altogether, but my spiritual director has told me to get out of my mind the idea that prayer is either a "success" or a "failure." It just is. As he says, prayer is "wasting time with God." Some days certainly will be better than others (and today was nothing to write home about) but the point is, I took the time and made myself available to God.
My profound experience actually came before and after the prayer and I really did not fully appreciate it until I took the time later in the day to reflect upon it, or did what in Ignatian Spirituality is known as an "Examen." It all began thanks a book I began reading today.
First, let me just say that I love food. I love to eat food. I love to cook food. I love to smell food. I love to read cookbooks. I love to talk about food. I love to try new foods and recipes. In contemporary parlance it would be fair to say I am somewhat of a "foodie." The past five years, however, have seen a gradual transformation in how I approach food. It began when I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Since then, fast food, which had previously been a regular part of my diet, is something I rarely eat. More recently I have read Michael Pollan's books The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food which have challenged me to consider what I eat, where that food comes from, what it is doing to my body and what it is doing to the earth that God has blessed us with. While I have not taken what some may call "drastic measures" (for example, I am not a vegetarian, but have considered it) I have undertaken some very intentional changes to the way I eat. We eat more at home. This, of course, means I cook more. With that I have made an effort to cook more with whole foods and have tried to minimize the processed foods in a given recipe. Right now I am champing at the bit in eager anticipation of hitting the Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings starting about a month from now. I have tried to buy more organic fruits and vegetables. With friends, we split a side of beef we purchased from a local farmer. I built a compost bin in the backyard for our table scraps and yard waste. Maybe you are starting to get the picture.
So, as Lent began I picked up a copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (of The Poisonwood Bible fame) and today I was able to read the first two chapters or so. (If you are not familiar with the book, it chronicles a year that she, her husband and their two daughters spent living as independently sustainable as possible . . . in other words, they grew all their own food.) While I am not (currently) entertaining the idea of digging up the back yard to plant a massive garden, it does have me thinking about food. And since, while I am fasting, food is a something that frequently comes to mind (especially around, say 5:30 in the evening) but infrequently enters my mouth, it is, needless to say, a topic of great interest to me. Which brings me to the fast.
One thing I have noticed as I fast is that food tastes better. (The meatball sandwich I made tonight may have been the best thing I have eaten in months. And I enjoyed every bite. I stopped when I was full. I was satisfied but not stuffed.) Water tastes cleaner, colder and more refreshing. On top of that I (obviously) am not eating as much of it, but I'm not just talking about missing out on lunch. At 7:38pm it doesn't take nearly as much as one would think get the job done. A friend asked me the other day, "Don't you just want to pig out at sundown?" The answer is "no." I have yet to pig out. I find myself appreciating every bite and having gratitude for the little food that I am eating. This exercise in reduction is creating a practical and spiritual experience with food that the books mentioned above, despite their profound effect on me, could not replicate.
A second thing I noticed is that the fast has made me more social. I am an introvert by nature and I need my Eric time as much as anything. But there is something about sitting down at a table with five other people and and just watching them eat that really transforms one's outlook at the real value of meal time. For example, in the past six or seven months we have established a tradition with some friends of ours who live in our neighborhood (who happen to also be the folks with whom we split the side of beef) that involves enjoying dinner at each others' homes one night a week. Last night we went to their house where they prepared the meal and tonight they came to our house where I had made spaghetti and meatballs (from, by the way, the most awesomely incredible Italian cookbook ever created). While everyone ate I enjoyed the conversation more than I ever have. It's not so much about what you eat but about whom you eat with (the same rang true in Jesus' time incidentally, which got him into hot water with the Pharisees in such places as Luke 5:30). (Note: The exception to this increased socializing at meal times would be hanging out with my "lunch crew," whom I miss dearly, but that time is earmarked for prayer right now.)
And that is my fast today. And if this is all I learn this Lent, then it will have been an enormously powerful experience.
So today I think I got it . . . until tomorrow when I won't.
But today I got it.
I didn't have some profound experience in prayer. I did spend a half hour today in prayer but it was nothing particularly memorable. I was distracted and flighty and my mind was all over. I couldn't quiet myself down. Ordinarily this would bother me and I may abandon the prayer altogether, but my spiritual director has told me to get out of my mind the idea that prayer is either a "success" or a "failure." It just is. As he says, prayer is "wasting time with God." Some days certainly will be better than others (and today was nothing to write home about) but the point is, I took the time and made myself available to God.
My profound experience actually came before and after the prayer and I really did not fully appreciate it until I took the time later in the day to reflect upon it, or did what in Ignatian Spirituality is known as an "Examen." It all began thanks a book I began reading today.
First, let me just say that I love food. I love to eat food. I love to cook food. I love to smell food. I love to read cookbooks. I love to talk about food. I love to try new foods and recipes. In contemporary parlance it would be fair to say I am somewhat of a "foodie." The past five years, however, have seen a gradual transformation in how I approach food. It began when I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Since then, fast food, which had previously been a regular part of my diet, is something I rarely eat. More recently I have read Michael Pollan's books The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food which have challenged me to consider what I eat, where that food comes from, what it is doing to my body and what it is doing to the earth that God has blessed us with. While I have not taken what some may call "drastic measures" (for example, I am not a vegetarian, but have considered it) I have undertaken some very intentional changes to the way I eat. We eat more at home. This, of course, means I cook more. With that I have made an effort to cook more with whole foods and have tried to minimize the processed foods in a given recipe. Right now I am champing at the bit in eager anticipation of hitting the Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings starting about a month from now. I have tried to buy more organic fruits and vegetables. With friends, we split a side of beef we purchased from a local farmer. I built a compost bin in the backyard for our table scraps and yard waste. Maybe you are starting to get the picture.
So, as Lent began I picked up a copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (of The Poisonwood Bible fame) and today I was able to read the first two chapters or so. (If you are not familiar with the book, it chronicles a year that she, her husband and their two daughters spent living as independently sustainable as possible . . . in other words, they grew all their own food.) While I am not (currently) entertaining the idea of digging up the back yard to plant a massive garden, it does have me thinking about food. And since, while I am fasting, food is a something that frequently comes to mind (especially around, say 5:30 in the evening) but infrequently enters my mouth, it is, needless to say, a topic of great interest to me. Which brings me to the fast.
One thing I have noticed as I fast is that food tastes better. (The meatball sandwich I made tonight may have been the best thing I have eaten in months. And I enjoyed every bite. I stopped when I was full. I was satisfied but not stuffed.) Water tastes cleaner, colder and more refreshing. On top of that I (obviously) am not eating as much of it, but I'm not just talking about missing out on lunch. At 7:38pm it doesn't take nearly as much as one would think get the job done. A friend asked me the other day, "Don't you just want to pig out at sundown?" The answer is "no." I have yet to pig out. I find myself appreciating every bite and having gratitude for the little food that I am eating. This exercise in reduction is creating a practical and spiritual experience with food that the books mentioned above, despite their profound effect on me, could not replicate.
A second thing I noticed is that the fast has made me more social. I am an introvert by nature and I need my Eric time as much as anything. But there is something about sitting down at a table with five other people and and just watching them eat that really transforms one's outlook at the real value of meal time. For example, in the past six or seven months we have established a tradition with some friends of ours who live in our neighborhood (who happen to also be the folks with whom we split the side of beef) that involves enjoying dinner at each others' homes one night a week. Last night we went to their house where they prepared the meal and tonight they came to our house where I had made spaghetti and meatballs (from, by the way, the most awesomely incredible Italian cookbook ever created). While everyone ate I enjoyed the conversation more than I ever have. It's not so much about what you eat but about whom you eat with (the same rang true in Jesus' time incidentally, which got him into hot water with the Pharisees in such places as Luke 5:30). (Note: The exception to this increased socializing at meal times would be hanging out with my "lunch crew," whom I miss dearly, but that time is earmarked for prayer right now.)
And that is my fast today. And if this is all I learn this Lent, then it will have been an enormously powerful experience.
So today I think I got it . . . until tomorrow when I won't.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Day 13: A Caveat
It dawned on me today that perhaps there are students who are thinking of participating in the fast. If that is the case, please do not! The purpose of me sharing my Lenten journey with students is not to encourage them to join in but to help us each gain a deeper understanding of a practice that is so instrumental in another religion. Two jobs of a teenager are to learn and to grow up healthy. You can learn in many ways that do not involve this type of fasting. This is not a healthy way to fast for teenagers and it is not a way to diet. If you are a teenager and would like to fast during Lent I would suggest that you fast from something that keeps you from deepening your relationship with Jesus: an unhealthy habit, the way you relate to a person you find very challenging, an attitude that could stand some readjusting, etc. If you feel you must fast with food, perhaps make a promise to eat healthier (ditch the pop in favor of water or skip the fries and eat some veggies instead) but please, please, please do not fast in a way that would cause you to eat less. No Lenten practice is worth risking your health.
If you are an adult, your decision to participate for a day is entirely up to you and I would invite you to take part as much or as little as you feel comfortable.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Day 12: A Prayer for Peace
"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." Jesus Christ, Matthew 22:39
"That which is distasteful to you do not do to your fellow." Rabbi Hillel, the Talmud
"None of you [truly] believe until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." Muhammad, the Hadith
On this Sunday as I break my fast in honor of the Resurrection, I recall that despite that saving event there is still much conflict among the worlds' peoples. Some of this violence is perpetuated in the name of religion, yet most of the world's religious traditions hold some form of The Golden Rule as an important teaching. I pray that my fellow Christians, in the spirit of the document Nostra Aetate from Second Vatican Council, will "recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men [and women]" of the world's religions. I pray that Christians everywhere can enjoy religious freedom and worship as their conscience guides them. I pray that Jews, who this weekend celebrate the joyous occasion of Purim and their salvation from extermination centuries ago,
O God, you are the source of life and peace.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts.
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.
Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.
Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.
Empower all people to live in your law of love.
Amen.
Praised be your name forever.
We know it is you who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.
Hear our prayer in this time of crisis.
Your power changes hearts.
Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm,
that they are followers of the one God,
Children of Abraham, brothers and sisters;
enemies begin to speak to one another;
those who were estranged join hands in friendship;
nations seek the way of peace together.
Strengthen our resolve to give witness to these
truths by the way we live.
Give to us:
Understanding that puts an end to strife;
Mercy that quenches hatred, and
Forgiveness that overcomes vengeance.
Empower all people to live in your law of love.
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)