lent: critical for the comfortable

Some push back on the idea of observing Lent because “the early church didn’t observe Lent.”  Which is true.  The season of Lent wasn’t introduced to the typical Christian experience until almost 400 years after Christ. 

But another thing that wasn’t introduced to the typical Christian experience until almost 400 years after Christ was the phenomenal season of physical, economic, and political comfort which began to characterize the Christian community.

For the first 300 years, the Christian community was under nearly constant persecution.  Political abuse and violence were constant realities.  Killing Christians became a sport.  

And yet, somewhat ironically to our way of thinking, instead of crushing the church this severe discomfort seemed to make the church grow.

  

Finally an emperor of Rome named Constantine claimed to convert to Christianity. Shortly thereafter the Roman state, rather than crushing house church communities, began building beautiful church buildings. And the bishops (overseers) of the church, instead of being killed as examples of Rome’s power, were given political power within the Roman government.

For a few generations, the Christian faith enjoyed unprecedented comfort.

Isn't it interesting that it was at this time that the church fathers formalized the church calendar which included a season called Lent?   

I wonder if, in their wisdom, the church fathers recognized that in the relative state of comfort the church was enjoying they were beginning to lose something of the power of the resurrection. 

I wonder if in their comfort, the church’s need for God to comfort them became less intense. In other words: the message that Jesus saves is only good news to those who are aware that they need a savior. The message that God is a comforter in times of trouble makes little difference for those who aren’t in trouble. 

If you’re comfortable you don’t need a Comforter.

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I've seen this play out a dozen times: a person lives a very comfortable life – and it may even include God on a comfortable level. Except that God is never really looked to for comfort – He isn’t needed there; other things are doing the comforting. 

Then life happens and some of the key “other comforts” – some are good things – get washed away. And the person, who has known God at some level for years, has no idea how to go to God for comfort because they’ve never done that before. 

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So I think it’s fascinating that near the end of the 4th century, the church essentially said, “Things have changed for us. We’re much more comfortable than we’ve ever been.  We should take a season of several weeks to remind ourselves that we are in need of grace.  We need to remember that we need a savior and that without the resurrection we are completely lost.  Our only hope is not the government which now says they’re on our side but Jesus himself.  We have some human comforts but we still need spiritual comfort.  We must recognize that our bodies are more comfortable which historically has always led to the neglect of the soul.”