Lent: Choosing Loving Justice

Picture by Christina taken at Virginia Theological Seminary

Lent is a time of letting go of what no longer serves you -- habits, behaviors, thoughts, or beliefs -- in order to create space for God to meet you. This intentional time of prayer and fasting prepares you to walk through the events of Holy Week, and be raised to a higher consciousness in Christ. 

While some years I give up T.V. or chocolate, the scriptures read during Lent are specifically about fasting from injustices. These readings center around grieving, and repenting of, the wrong being done to the vulnerable members of the community. Prophets call people (mostly political and religious leaders) to stop inflicting suffering through negligence, abuse, and self interest, and to start acting justly on others' behalf. 

This year I am asking: How can my Lenten fast and spiritual practice support my anti-racism efforts? I am considering how I might: 
 

Fast from an aspect of my white privilege,
in order to clear room within and without,

to hear the cry of BIPOC folx,
and acknowledge the scars racism has left on my own soul,

while adopting a spiritual practice,
that furthers the work of equality.
 

As I spend the next week identifying what this could be, will you join me? If you are a white reader, I would love to hear how you heed our call to racial justice and find ways to lovingly respond.