It amazes me that in this age of technology
so many magazines are still available in print from newsagents and supermarkets
etc. The variety of subject matter
is stunning: from celebrities, cars and computers, to sewing, steam railways
and sport. And, while the content
may not always be edifying or indeed very helpful, the spread of colourful
pages across the shelves certainly illustrate different aspects of life enjoyed
by people. Many evidently still
choose to read magazines!
Lent is often considered a time for giving
up aspects of life we enjoy to prepare spiritually for Easter. It is a season for replacing luxury
with spiritual disciplines, for carving out time and space in our lives for
God. In doing so we align
ourselves with Jesus’ instruction, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their
cross and follow me.’ (Matthew 16.24).
Christian thinkers of the past often
envision the path of discipleship as a route that steers us away from aspects
of humanity towards the Holy.
However, it is noteworthy that many of these thinkers were male, single
and living within monastic traditions with a particular take on ‘self-denial’
and ‘cross bearing’. I wonder
whether this path actually looks a good deal different for Christians today,
whether becoming more like Christ is about attending to our humanity as much as
cultivating a friendship with the living God; or a delicate balance that
involves welcoming the joys and limits of being human alongside delighting in
God.
If the purpose of Christian faith is to
become like Christ to receive his gift of life ‘to the full’ (John 10.10) then
perhaps in Lent we might think about whether our lives are in balance. Perhaps, for some, Lent disciplines
come easily, but we find it hard to relax into our relationships or extract the
joy from life. Perhaps, for
others, our attachment to worldly things causes a real obstacle to our walk
with Jesus, and by his grace need to be laid down. This is a real challenge.
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