40 Days

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Season of Lent. Lent is the Christian tradition of taking the 40 days before Easter for prayer, engaging in spiritual study, fasting, and giving up something that separates us from God for the season.  As those who have been reading my column for a while will know, for me that means that I give up sugar to satisfy the last of those requirements.

Lent is one of many biblical references to the number 40, which some biblical scholars believe to be God's number for times of trial and hardship. Although there are more, some are honored by all three of the Abrahamic traditions. Rain fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights in the great flood. Moses spent 40 days in the desert after killing the Egyptian and another 40 days on Mt. Sinah. (For others, see: http://www.gotquestions.org/40-days-Bible.html.)

In the Christian tradition, it is appropriate that Lent is 40 days because before his crucifixion, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights, and 40 days also passed between Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension into heaven.  It makes sense that one of the aspects of the holiday is to give up what we are tempted by.  

I find it interesting that biblical scholars consider 40 the number of trial and hardship.  Maybe I am not doing it right, but I find this time to be one of purification or "coming clean." While I am usually fidgety for the first two or three days as I flush out the junk from my system.  I have prepared some detoxifying foods this evening to accelerate that process, and I've done this enough to know that this too will pass.

With three or four days I am noticing that I am much calmer and making healthier choices. While I am very active, I have fought going to the gym in recent years.  On Ash Wednesday instead of heading home at the end of the day, I went down to the gym, and I enjoyed it. Being more disciplined about meditation also contributes to that calm. 

I expect within a week or so, I will feel quite calm and centered. I am more relaxed.  I will move through the world with more ease than any other time of the year.  So, biblical scholars aside, I do not think of this as a hardship at all, and only to the extent that the detoxifying process is a bit of a struggle is Lent a trial for me.  Instead, it feels like coming home.  For that I am grateful.