Sure, it's healthy for me in a diet sort of way. For one thing, every sweet worth eating (save one) has dairy in it. For example, this newfound discipline is preventing me from compulsively chowing the luscious German chocolate my in-laws brought us, even when I feel I deserve it after holding a crying baby for an hour (you would too). But before any Catholics chastise me for using Lent as holy dieting, let me insist that there is a spiritual reason here.
A few years ago, doctors discovered a chemical imbalance in my brain (well, how often do you get yours checked?). The cause was, in part, allergenic. Tests results indicated a slight allergy to dairy, bananas, pineapples and asparagus (the other three items I am fasting as well, they're just such a small part of my diet to begin with that it hardly counts), which showed no outward manifestations, but wasn't helping the ol' thinker. The doctor had me give up dairy (along with bananas, pineapples and asparagus, oh my) for six months. (40 days and 40 nights ain't bad, comparably) He also advised me to monitor my dairy intake and be careful afterwards. Easy, if you don't have a box of German chocolate sitting in the dining room.
Actually, what I missed the most during those first dairyless six months was not chocolate (to my surprise) but pizza. I found myself fantasizing about the texture of a slice of pizza on my finger tips, the salty, greasy, Italiany aroma and the dreamy sensation of melted mozzarella on my tongue. Yeah, I know, you can make pizza without cheese, but really...
So, what's this have to do with God?
When I moved to the nation's Capital and starting experimenting with liturgy (hey, all the cool kids were doing it), I began to embrace the fast. For one thing, the focus on repentance made Easter seem all the more wonderful when it came. Growing up, Easter was always a bit of a stuffy holiday, where we were forced into uncomfortable clothes, ate a feast that wasn't as good as Thanksgiving and received a basket of presents not nearly as cool as Christmas. I've grown since but rarely went out of my way to truly celebrate the Easter feast. My liturgical church is changing me. This 40-day preparation gave added weight to what ought to be the most important holiday. Our Savior, risen. Death defeated. Gospel fulfilled.
A dairy detox is healthy for my mind. It helps me focus, which helps me glorify God in my mind, my work and my relationships. It renews me. It reminds me of that darker time, what I call my first lent, where that six month fast was a desperate hope that God would pull me out of the mire, out of the slimy pit, and set my feet upon a rock, giving me a firm place to stand. It allows a deeper thankfulness that he has done so, and a richer appreciation the gifts he has given me. It helps me remember God's provision throughout these times whenever (often) I am uncertain about the future.
As we've studied the Joseph story in the last chapters of Genesis, our pastors have reminded us that God refines us through many "deaths and resurrections." Let's remember that these next 40-odd days.
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2 comments:
So do you really celebrate Sundays as "feast days" and eat pizza all day?
Thanks for the reminder of what this season of Lent is about in the first place.
You know, I didn't know about Sundays as feast days until Dan made an announcement about it (it was in the context of new-comers eating cookies). I wish I could feast pizza (and could have last Sunday - they had pizza afterwards), but then it wouldn't be a detox, which is what I need.
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