Do you remember the movie Chocolat? It came out in 2000 with Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche. It's a romantic comedy, but when I think of Lent and fighting temptation I can't help but picture the scene below. I include it here for a couple reasons.
- This scene is when Mr. Judgy-McJudgerson (my nickname for him) can't withstand the temptations of the flesh and ends up being the very thing he was judging. He is a picture of where legalism gets you. Lent, in my opinion (not a theologian, btw) is a time of reflection the sacrifice Jesus made for us. He didn't give in or give up when faced with the cross. He didn't start pointing fingers at those who deserved to be crucified. How grateful I am that he fought through his prayer in the garden and died for us all.
- My 40 days without cheese didn't look quite like this scenario, however I realized how common cheese is in the foods I eat and how tied to my culture that is. For example, eating out is a common occurrence in my friend group. Chances are, if we aren't going to an Asian restaurant, there's a lot of cheese on the menu to choose from. Because of the cultural norms that exist around me, I had to raise my awareness of cheese, and intentionally not choose it. The culture in Chocolat was normed on Alfred Molina's character and his preferences. They weren't questioned until someone intentionally chose differently. I think the same could be said about hunger. Statistics are powerful, but they don't change lives. We have to intentionally choose to act outside our established norms - give more away, speak out against injustices, join with causes we care about, and make ways to love and reach out to those who need us.
It's not too late to participate in an Empty Bowls project in Winston Salem - April 25 it is being held at the Millennium Center. If you can go, I highly encourage you to do so.
