Growing up Jewish, I always heard
my friends talk about what they were giving up for Lent, and I watched as some
did better than others in their endeavor to commemorate Jesus' fasting in the
desert. However, I never really understood the point of all of it. When I was
asked to write this reflection, I Googled, "What is the point of Lent?”
What I found told me that Lent is a season of self-examination, fasting, and
penance.
I understand that the whole process
of Lent is so that the renewal of baptismal promises actually means something.
I don’t think one needs to be Catholic in order to find meaning in the Lenten
season. Recently I have been having these mini-epiphanies about what my
personal beliefs actually are. Perhaps if I actually devoted some thought to
it, my convictions would become clearer to me. Self-examination takes work, and
for those of us who do not have a religious obligation to participate in Lent,
it provides a form of motivation to take on the project of self-examination. So
this year, instead of giving up cookies from the cafeteria, I will be giving up
accepting snap judgments about people as true. My penance will come in the form
of the realization that words have meaning and the way I have used words in the
past may have caused someone pain. I may not be Catholic, or even particularly
religious for that matter, but I believe that I can learn something by
participating in Lent this year (and yes, I still am giving up cafeteria
cookies).
Hannah Buckley
President of the Jewish Student Organization
FCRH 2016
Really enjoyed reading your reflections. Even more so because you are Jewish and took the time to reflect on Lent and your own beliefs. Thank you.
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