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MARDI MAIGRE?
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This time of year in Mobile is dedicated (as a TV spot for McGuire’s Irish Pub puts it) to “feasting, imbibery, and debauchery!” The same could (should) be said for Mobile during Mardi Gras.
Pretty well everyone knows that “Mardi Gras” is French for “Fat Tuesday.” But this year is different (and hopefully will be the only year so marked). So I’m thinking we should call this coming Tuesday the title of this essay: “Thin Tuesday.” And honestly, I don’t think that’s such a bad idea, after all.
If the concept of the 40 days of Lent is intended to mirror in some way the time Jesus spent in the desert after the baptism and before the beginning of the public ministry, it seems likely that the Lord didn’t head to the wilderness after having gorged himself with a dinner worthy of King Herod or the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Perhaps our imitation of Jesus might be well marked by “fasting before the fasting,” so to speak…
The pre-Vatican II Church grasped this concept (even if it did so for reasons that were more questionable, having to do with the basic unworthiness of people). It’s why there was a three-week “warm-up” for Lent, with Sundays called Septuagesima, Sexagesima, & Quinquagesima: the 70th, 60th, and 50th weeks before 40th Sunday beginning Lent. Of course, in that mindset Advent was regarded also as a mini-Lent, and folks were expected to fast/abstain during December, too (a real downer for Christmas office parties!).
The earlier expressions focused on the belief in human degradation (this was the influence of a group called Jansenists who were condemned but who retained influence in Church life/practice). On this view, folks were simply unworthy of things like weekly (not to say, daily) reception of the Eucharist—the Sacrament was too sacred, and we were too sinful, even straight out of confession. But the post-Vatican II Church has tried to change the emphasis.
We need, yes, to engage in spiritual discipline—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But the motivation is more oriented, now, to self-examination. Who are we, really? Who are we being called to be? Are we making any kind of progress in that call? Why or why not?
Lent is also a time of solidarity with our catechumens longing for the Sacraments. This year we will have three to be confirmed, one to be received into the Church, and one to be baptized. How would we like to pray for them, to express solidarity with them in their journey of faith, affirm them in their choice?
Welcome to the “Thin Tuesday” that can reap rich rewards!!
