Food for Thought
When most of us think of the word “discipline,” we think of punishment or of actions that may take away what brings a moment of joy into our lives.
Mar 21, 2014
When most of us think of the word “discipline,” we think of punishment or of actions that may take away what brings a moment of joy into our lives.
A couple of years ago, the Jesuit-run America magazine offered a different view and challenged readers to take up a “discipline that would deepen the doer’s spiritual life” during Lent, one that had the potential to improve “local conditions or the environment, relationships within families or parishes, and even the political process”.
Discipline, in that context, challenged penitents to perform a positive activity.
Jesuit Fr John F. Kavanaugh offered practising the “discipline of truth” during Lent; theology professor Gerald W. Schlabach said practising listening and learning to love our enemy was a great Lenten discipline, while Professor Margaret Pfeil offered the discipline of feeding the hungry with local food.
Jesuit Fr Thomas Massaro said we should get to know our legislators as a Lenten discipline.
“One of the perennial goals of sincere Lenten discipline is to reconvert one’s own soul, but it is all the better when our faith-saturated activities produce the added benefit of improving the quality of the lives of many others in need.”
Total Comments:0