February 2007

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”

Many of us are familiar with “mite boxes.” Mite boxes, so named after the widow's two penny offering of all she had, have been an important part of our Lenten disciples for many years. They have been the means of reminding us of our disciplines –those things we give up or take on for Lent – and we will again have them available for you this year.

This year we are also going to focus on participating with all our brother and sister Episcopalians in working to achieve the Millennium Goals. Each congregation is being asked to designate .007% of their operating budget to those who are working to eradicate world hunger and poverty. For us that means raising in addition to our operating budget, $2,800.

I am frequently asked: “What is a Lenten discipline?” The first question should be: “What is it we are attempting to achieve through a Lenten discipline?

We are attempting to discipline our lives in such a way as to be more effective witnesses of the Easter Resurrection. We should be examining all aspects of our lives and see our selves not only as God sees us but in the ways that people who also want to follow Jesus will be encouraged to join us in our journey to the cross and then to the empty tomb. Our goal should also be to learn to live without in order that others can live with more.

If I give up eating candy bars for Lent and then gorge myself on candy bars on Easter day, what have I achieved? However, if I give up eating candy bars and put the money I would have spent on candy bars in my mite box and then give that mite box back to the church to be used as part of our millennium goals, I have through my discipline became a part of the solution to poverty. If I decide to intentionally reduce the number of times I eat out during Lent and then put a check for the amount of my bill in my mite box I am doing something about world poverty. If I do the same thing for movies or any other form of entertainment I am living without something I like to do in order that others might not also be hungry.

Lenten disciplines really don't end when Easter morning arrives. The disciplines we choose should continue on and on. We can vow to start exercising in order to take care of God's gift to us of a physical body but, that disciplines needs to continue day after day. Attending a Christian Education class or reading a book on spirituality needs to be year round.

If you need help with where to begin, or what to do, come by and see me. We have plenty of mite boxes and can get more. Let's fill them up and be good neighbors.

 

 

Fr. Ken †