It has been a while since Father Orthoduck posted an image from one of my favorite bloggers, Pithless Thoughts. He has again ended up leaving Father Orthoduck helplessly gasping with laughter.
Like Paul Revere, let Father Orthoduck shout, “Lent is coming; Lent is coming!” Yes, this is the season that so many people dread. Meat goes away, as do various other foodstuffs. We are not simply asked to carefully choose our foods; we are asked to eat less, and give that money away. It is not exactly a pleasant time for many faithful Orthodox who faithfully plan to keep the fast.
But, you might say to me, “Father Orthoduck, are we not supposed to look forward to Lent? Are we not supposed to rejoice in the opportunity to grow in holiness?” Yes, we are. But, as Saint Paul pointed out in Romans 7, Father Orthoduck has this dratted sinful flesh that opposes him at every turn. And that flesh thinks thoughts such as, “FEED ME!” (Here please think of the horrid plant in the movie Little Shop of Horrors, for that is precisely how Father Orthoduck’s flesh behaves. Like that plant it wants to take over Father Orthoduck’s very existence and turn him into a servant of the flesh.)
It is precisely this war that we are fighting in Lent. Who shall be in control, us or the flesh? It is a battle we cannot hope to win without the help of the Holy Spirit. But, let Father Orthoduck mention that all our sighing about Lent is not simply the result of our flesh fighting us. You see, there is an important verse in Hebrews that can give us some insight into Lent:
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
You see, sometimes we have this image of a Christianity that does not even wish to admit that one is suffering. This is a false Christianity. Saint Paul uses the image of an athlete more than once. But, if you have known any good athletes, you know how much they will groan at the thought of the multiple practices, of the training, of the physique building that they must undergo if they wish to be any good at their sport. As Saint Paul said, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time …”. In order to win the game, it is necessary to train to the point of aching muscles and unenviable exercises.
This is the image of Lent. It is not an image of self-punishment as so many Evangelicals erroneously believe. Rather, it is the image of an athlete who is now about to undergo a period of 40 days of training in order to try to grow in holiness in synergy with the Holy Spirit who supplies what we lack in order that we may succeed. And, frankly, we lack a lot and we need the Holy Spirit even more!
So, no, Father Orthoduck does not look forward to Lent anymore than an athlete looks forward to difficult and exhausting training. But, Father Orthoduck hopes to attain the attitude of many an athlete who goes full-bore into the training, not because it is pleasant, but because it leads to a “harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Father Orthoduck wishes to hear a “well done good and faithful servant” from his Lord someday.
Nevertheless, uhm, Pithless, can Father Orthoduck order both sets of glasses from you ASAP?
Fr. Orthoduck, The plant in Little Shop of Horrors as our “flesh” is one of the best images of all time. Thankyou!!!