By Tim Rohr
Like his predecessor, Pope Leo is urging a "practical" form of abstinence for Lent.
“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”
I know that this makes people feel all warm inside, and who am I to contest the pope, but as I wrote two years ago in STUFF WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING IN THE FIRST PLACE, the pope is urging us to abstain - for Lent - stuff we shouldn't be doing in the first place.
In other words, the pope (and all who promote this idea) are functionally implying that it is quite okay to go back to "words that offend and hurt our neighbor" once Lent is over.
The pope can correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of the merit in "giving something up," aka "sacrificing," is that the thing sacrificed (food, sleep, time, money) is a good thing to begin with and that the sacrifice hurts - at least a little.
I'm reminded of the famous incident of Cain and Abel. Abel's sacrifice was pleasing to the Lord and Cain's was not. The Bible doesn't tell us why God rejected Cain's sacrifice, but it's pretty clear that Abel sacrificed his best and Cain did not.
Food and sleep are sustenance. So is time and money. They are also good things (or are at least meant to be good things). When we fast or abstain from food, get up extra early (to pray), give of our time and money to a charitable cause, we are giving up/sacrificing good things. When we abstain from "words that offend and hurt our neighbor" - to quote the pope - we are giving up BAD things.
Which sacrifice do you think God will be pleased with?
Meanwhile, of course, we should use Lent, and the graces granted through our sacrifice of good things, to permanently stop doing - not just give up for Lent - stuff we shouldn't be doing anyway.
Pope Leo XIV’s message, in urging Catholics to abstain from hurtful words, is aligned with the Catholic understanding of fasting and penance. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that fasting is about purifying desires, detaching oneself from sin, and fostering a deeper relationship with God and others (CCC 1434-1439). Lent is not simply about giving up things we like but about turning our hearts back to God. The purpose is spiritual renewal and deeper discipleship, not just a superficial or temporary sacrifice. In this sense, fasting from harsh words, slander, and rash judgments is not about giving up something "bad" but rather about growing in virtue.
ReplyDeleteFasting is not only about giving up "good" things like food but is also about detaching ourselves from disordered desires. This is in harmony with previous papal teachings on fasting and penance. For example, in Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Penitentae (1965), he emphasized that fasting should lead to a reformed heart, which includes our relationships with others.
Yes, of course. However, for those of us regular pew people, "abstain," especially in the context of Lent, implies something temporary. I would have recommended something like: "Let us use this Lent to begin to permanently and finally eradicate harsh words and rash judgment." In fact, why not just go for it and say, nay, command - as Fr. Ripperger has - STOP SINNING. Just stop. But of course, the pope didn't ask me. Nevertheless, I'm engaging in "active participation of the laity."
DeleteThanks for your thoughtful reply, Tim. I appreciate your point about Lent being an opportunity for permanent change, rather than just a temporary abstention.
DeleteYou’re right that "abstain" can feel temporary, but I think Pope Leo's message encourages us to use Lent as a starting point for a deeper, ongoing conversion. Fasting from harsh words is not just about avoiding "bad" things, but about growing in virtue and charity, as Pope Paul VI emphasized in Penitentae (1965). It’s not about a quick fix but a call to begin the process of lasting change.
Perhaps we could clarify the language for regular people by emphasizing that Lent is a time to begin this transformation, with the hope it continues beyond the season. Thanks for challenging me to think through this more!
My comments may be a bit off-topic here but since when was the traditional counsel of "Thou art dust and to dust you shall return" replaced with "Repent and believe in the Gospel" during the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday? Isn't repenting and believing in the Gospel something we should be doing and what is preached during all seasons in the Church? To me, the former counsel about returning to dust packs a more powerful punch because it is a stark reminder of our mortality, of the need to reflect on eternity, and is inclusive of the call to repentance.
ReplyDeleteNot off topic at all, and your comment pretty much gets to my real point in my previous two posts about Lent which is: I find the "kinder, gentler" language irritating. It's like we're trying to say "See, we're not the mean old Catholic Church anymore. We're nice and welcoming, etc., etc., etc."
DeleteMy understanding of "fasting" is rooted in Jesus' reference to it in Mark 9:29, when after the disciples failed at driving out a demon and Jesus did, they asked him "why couldn't we drive it out?" And Jesus replies: "some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting." In that context, "fasting" could hardly mean giving up harsh words and rash judgement - or even coffee, for that matter. Fasting and abstinence are tools of spiritual warfare.
I'm with you though on a preference for the reminder that we are nothing by dust and ashes. That's the reality. And that's why they call it "Ash Wednesday," not "repent Wednesday.