Waiapu Church Gazette. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1911. Lenten Pastoral.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 9, 1 March 1911, Page 134

Waiapu Church Gazette. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 1911. Lenten Pastoral.

My Dear People, The solemn season of Lent again reminds us forcibly of duties which are apt to be overlooked or watered down by our contact with the world and by the pressure of worldly ideals. We are much inclined to under-esti-mate the importance of the days of fasting or abstinence appointed by the Church because we do not take kindly to discipline, and because the natural inclination is opposed to any restraint. Although the length of the Lenten Fast has varied from time to time, and although it is quite possible that if the Church' was revising the " table of vigils, fasts, and days of abstinence to be observed m the year," she might shorten the forty days, yet as loyal Church-people we must accept things as they are until some further order is given, and ask ourselves seriously how we intend to fast during this present Lent. There can be no question about the l osition which fasting occupies m the New Testament and m the teaching of Jesus Christ. The Sermon on the

Mount, which "many men profess to admire and accept who do not choose to receive and obey all the words of Him who spake as never man spake, contains very clear teaching on the subject. "When ye fast." "Then shall they fast." Christ clearly assumed that fasting would be at least as much a part of the discipline of His followers as it had been of the discipline of the Jews, although the motive would necessarily be higher. Fasting, then, is one important element m the teaching of Jesus, Who came to make known to men the Will of the Eternal God. We cannot therefore ignore it without being disloyal to Christ, and we cannot forget how He fasted, not only m the wilderness, but before many important events m His earthly life. Perhaps we sometimes forget that fasting does not only mean abstinence from food, although that isthepriraary meaning of the word, but self-control, self -discipline m the use of other things which are perfectly lawful m themselves, but which should never be allowed to become our masters and dictate to us. The Church's law about fasting is much wiser and much more beneficial than her critics or even her friends suppose. There is always a danger of pampering the body by over-much food, and a season of greater simplicity m living is beneficial from many points of view. The purpose of the religious fast is of course to give to the Spirit its proper piece m the life, and to keep the body m check and under the control of the higher faculties. We don't fast because we don't like putting any curb or restraint upon our appetites, but if fasting makes us less of the animal and more of the man, should we not welcome the advice and direction of the Church ? Fasting must always be undertaken from a right motive. It is not an end m itself, it is a means to an end — a means towards making us masters of ourselves instead of being slaves to our habits and appetites. Every true man or woman desires to be a really free agent — to be able to say " no" to this or that bodily desire, and not a slave mistaking license for freedom. There is one way of real fasting which must not be overlooked, viz., fasting from pleasure. The lives of .many people are so full of pleasure that a season of quiet would be very profitable for body, mind, and spirit. Cannot we at least curtail our pleasures, our amusements, during Lent ? "But, people would not Understand,"

we say, " if we refused to accept invitations." A caustic but suggestive answer was once given to such an excuse, viz., " Perhaps people sometimes learn more from our absence than our presence." Look upon Lent properly, and the little self-denial which it entails will not be so hard after all,. and will bring a real blessing into your lives. The Church is only carrying out the teaching of Jesus m bidding us to fast. "The Bible says 'fast;' the Church says ' now.' " And what lies behind it ? Surely the voice of Jesus saying to each one of us, " Friend, go up. higher." "Do what you do for My sake." "Rise to a higher spiritual level." " You are a spirit tabernacling m a body of flesh, then don't let the body press down the spirit." "If ye love Me keep My Commandments." We can hardly think that Jesus wants any mechanical fasting from us, but we can think that He accepts every act of real fasting as a proof of the love and obedience of the Children of His Father. Jesus through His Church invites us to come up higher, and are we able and willing to respond ? Again, we must not dissociate fasting from prayer. They are .closely allied* in the teaching of Jesus. We fast that we may pray more and better, and with greater fervour. Our prayers often suffer because our lives are over-crowded. Lent is the time set apart for more devotion m prayer. Make time to pray ; weed out some of the superfluous growth m your life that the soul may have more room to breathe m prayer. Get up a little earlier m the morning so that you may give the extra time to prayer and spiritual reading. Attend the public prayers of the Church more regularly, the week day as well the Sunday prayers. Read your Bibles daily. Read some portion of a good book on the spiritual life during Lent. If it means suffering, then suffer with Jesus, that you may rejoice with Him at Easter. Once more, Jesus links almsgiving with prayer and fasting as essential Christian duties. We have well nigh lost the duty of alms-giving altogether. If we abstain from food or pleasures m Lent, we must .give the money saved to God. Surely it would be a proper Lenten discipline to for those who have been entrusted with wealth to ask themselves whether they are really giving a fair proportion to Gfod. There is room for much fasting m the disposal of our money.. How very few of us ever think of giving without ' being Jasked ! How very few of us

ever think of the happiness which we could bring into other people's lives by spontaneous and kindly giving ! There is so little principle about giving even when we have the power to give. Might we not ask ourselves this Lent whether we have really done our duty m the matter of giving to parochial and diocesan objects ? Give to God for the support of His work m the world, and don't wait to be asked by man. Accept the invitation of Jesus to come up higher m your religious duties, and you will find that those duties are inestimable privileges. Think during this Lent of what Jesus has done for you, and you will never be satisfied until you have done more for Him. May God's blessing rest upon all those who try to spend this Lent with Jesus! You sincere Friend and Bishop, A. W. Waiapu.