Easter is here. Christ is risen! It is time to rejoice. The church is
overflowing with flowers. After weeks of
its absence, we are singing Allelulia once again. The candidates and catechumens have changed
from their brown robes to ones of white.
Mass seems more special and alive during the Easter season. Fasting is
over and feasting has begun.
To put a secular spin on it, it is like going from Kansas to
Oz.
But like Dorothy, who discovered there were things to
cherish and learn from “home”, I, too, am trying to figure out how to hold on
to a bit of Lent in the midst of the Easter festivities and beyond.
We recently had a Lenten Day of Reflection for our LMH
Veterans lead by Sr. Gretchen Hailer, RSHM.
It was a great day. Sr. Gretchen
gave us many things to ponder; the Vets shared their reflections; and during
lunch we ate soup from handmade bowls donated by Sheila Cavanagh (MDA Veteran).
One of the prayers Sr. Gretchen led us in was a “Lorica”
(Breastplate of the Fast and the Feast).
The verses of the prayer focused on all types of fasting – and not the
ones we are used to like fasting from certain foods. Here are a few:
“Let us fast from judging others, and feast on Christ in
them.”
“Let us fast from words that pollute and feast on phrases
that purify.”
“Let us fast from negatives and feast on affirmatives.”
“Let us fast from thoughts that weaken and feast on promises
that inspire.”
As is often the case, for me anyway, is that once Lent is
over, I tend to forget about the things I was fasting from, or I’m not as
disciplined in continuing the practices I added during the 40 days.
However, I think the above list of “fasting/feasting” is
something I (and everyone) can strive to continue.
There were over 20 verses of fasting and feasting in the Lorica. If we all tried to fast/feast from even one
of these, imagine what better persons we would be; what a better world this
would be.
