A Lenten Word - Enjoy

Homily for Tuesday before Ash Wednesday

“All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.”

As we approach the great season of fasting, the Scriptures offer us a recipe for enjoying the good things that God has provided for us. James reminds us of this in the first reading for today’s liturgy. I found several other passages, particularly in the Wisdom Literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. Qoheleth reminds us:

“There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink and provide themselves with good things from their toil. Even this, I saw, is from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

Qoheleth advises us that since the good things of life come from the hand of God, we should gladly enjoy our food and drink. This is the first of seven conclusions Qotheleth offers in this particular book of the Bible.

The Book of Wisdom offers us similar advice:

Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,
and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.
Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes,
and let no flower of spring pass us by.
Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
Letter number of us fail to share in our revelry;
because this is our portion, and this our lot (Wisdom 2:8-9).

Throughout the world, our brothers and sisters are participating in Carnival. Here in the United States, we call it “Mardi Gras.” As we approach the season of Lent, the world stops all of its work and simply tastes the good things of this earth in preparation for Lent.

Unfortunately, there are so many people in our world who cannot heed this advice, for they have not even a crust of bread. As we enjoy our little celebration of Mardi Gras with the good food that our benefactor has provided us, let us remember the starving peoples of our world and enjoy our food and drink without overdoing it.