Keeping it Between the Lines

Confession time:

Confession #1: My wife and I went to Dairy Queen last night and I had an ice cream cone.

Confession #2: I don't feel the least bit bad about it, even if it violated the "no desserts" portion of my fast.

Here's why.  For one, throughout history, Sundays have not been included in the Lenten fasts.  Instead, they have been seen as "feast days" in which one is permitted to joyfully indulge (in moderation) in those things which one has elected to sacrifice.  So I wasn't really cheating. ;-)

More importantly, though, I wrestled with it for a while yesterday afternoon.  I wanted to beat myself up for even thinking about having a dessert...which, paradoxically, is exactly why I decided to have that ice cream cone.  You see, the thing about Lenten fasts is that it is very easy to slip into legalism and thus lose sight of why we are fasting at all.

In the past, I have neglected the feast day out of a misplaced sense of pious holiness - thinking myself more holy than others who would break their fasts for celebration on Sunday.  I am coming to believe that my misplaced piety was to my detriment and that my legalism prevented me from truly experiencing the power of the season of Lent. 

In a way, then, last night's ice cream cone, which may or may not become a Sunday ritual for our family during Lent, is my protection against legalism.  It is a deliberate choice to say no to legalism and yes to the joy inherent in the experience of Sabbath.  My prayer is that my experience of Lent will be deeper because of it.

jB