The season of Lent has begun in the Christian church calendar. It’s also the season of Ramadan for our Muslim siblings. During this time, people in both faiths commit to religious acts that help them draw closer to God and strengthen that relationship.
This Lent, I’m continuing to reflect on what is ours to do, individually and in community, during this turbulent time in America. There are certainly a lot of options, as the US administration continues to upend established procedures and protocols (and fire personnel!) in dozens of departments across the government. Things we took for granted are on the chopping block, over and over again. It’s painful—and overwhelming if we aren’t careful.
This is why I think it’s important to focus on a particular message in the midst of the onslaught. We cannot all address all the issues all the time. Instead—and I feel like I keep repeating a similar message myself!—we are each called by God to take part and speak up in specific ways.
The prophets did the same. Jonah was called specifically to preach a message of repentance to the city of Nineveh. Elijah focused on Israel’s idolatry. God called Nathan to confront King David about his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah.
More modern prophets have done the same. Martin Luther King Jr. focused on America’s sin of racism. Dorothy Day focused on the condition of the poor in American cities. Various faith leaders were recognized by the Obama White House for their message and work to address the effects of climate change.
In this Lenten season, we’re called to listen more closely to the voice of God. What message are you receiving? What particular issue are you feeling invited to address? What’s yours to do—to be a voice of hope or stand in solidarity with the powerless—during these challenging days?
