Meditation for Ash Wednesday

Fasting and Treasure

by Rev. Lance Armstrong O’Donnell, Pastor

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Van Wert, Ohio

Ash Wednesday (noonday)

25 February, A.D. 2009

Joel 2.12-19; 2 Pet 1.2-22; Mt 6.16-21

CCT: Jesus Christ is the true Treasure, the source and center of our devotion, and the object of our fasting.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” We are learning that lesson the hard way--again--in this country right now. All of us are effected. Job losses, pay and benefits cuts, forced retirements, losses of value. In many and various ways the Lord is teaching us that we all--in certain ways and to certain extents--misplaced our trust.

Now we are tightening our belts, discovering again the difference between a want and a need. So, for me, as for many of you, I suspect that Lent has come at just the right time. Have you misused or even venerated your earthly “treasures”? Repent! Repent; that is, confess your sin--your rebellion against God--and receive the treasure of Christ’s forgiveness. For throughout this Lent and at the end of this Lent and throughout our days we remember the supreme expression of God’s love in the vicarious atonement of his Christ. The Perfect One offerred the Perfect Sacrifice on our behalf that day-by-day (Yes, today!) we may be renewed by Him and in and through Him offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise that is our fasting.

Yes, we fast. Not for earthly reward but in humility to be reminded--day after gloriously troublesome day--of the heavenly reward: Christ.

Do not be afraid, dear Baptized. Your are His, and He is risen! Remember, this Lent, that [CCT:] Jesus Christ is the true Treasure, the source and center of our devotion, and the object of our fasting.

Amen.

Christians are Boring

I was reading some poling research recently in the book unChristian which revealed that most 16-29 year-old "outsiders" in the U.S. find theologically conservative Christians "old fashioned, boring, and out of touch with reality." Further, they say that these Christians "do not respond to reality in appropriately complex ways, preferring simplistic solutions and answers." I'm sympathetic to that view. I used to hold it. Christianity in general I thought was a fraud, which made conservative Christians that much more contemptable. "Joyless prudes," I thought of them. They were "weak-minded," etc., etc.

Here's a short video clip of some boring Christian children.

These boring children score well (that's modest) in almost every academic category (presently, at least). They are learning a second language, play youth sports, play well with other children and can converse with adults. They are learning classical piano. One is discovering a particular artistic talent, another learning to dance. They can identify all the continents, and the older ones can speak with respect to some of the basic differences between Greek mythology, first century paganism, Biblical Christianity and atheism. Of their own voliton this past summer they sold lemonade and soda pop at garage sales for the purpose of helping the poor. 

Of course, sometimes these children act disrespectfully of one another and act without regard to the possible consequences. Sometimes they complain. At present they have not watched TV or played video games for two days because of their disrespect for another's property. They are learning that behavior has consequences and that there are varying degrees of responsibility.

Yes, and they laugh and giggle and devour gingerbread. Boring people. Must be missing something.