MICHINK LUNCHEON AND LENTEN PRESENTATION AT ST. JOHN

By David Luhrssen

On Sunday, March 19, 2023, St. John the Baptist Armenian Church observed Michink (Mid-Lent) with a vegan luncheon and a presentation on the meaning of Lent by Deacon Allen Banoub of St. Mary and St. Antonious Coptic Orthodox Church in nearby Oak Creek.

Deacon Allen began by shifting the perspective on Lent from religious to spiritual. By religious, he meant the outward forms and rules of the fast, the number of days and prohibited foods. He defined spiritual as “lifting up our hearts to the inner meaning.” Lent should be a “spiritual journey bringing us closer to God,” he continued, “with the Cross and the Empty Tomb as our goals.” We empty ourselves to remind ourselves of God, “to be filled with God.”

He discussed the model for Lent to be found in the gospel accounts of Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days, resisting temptations of hunger, greed and pride. In answering Satan, who proposed turning stones into bread to satisfy his appetite, Jesus reminds us that God, not food, is ultimately the source of life. “Fasting should remind us of our hunger for God,” Deacon Allen said.

From that perspective, Lent is an opportunity to recenter and reconnect, to allow more peace and joy into our lives by putting aside distractions. Our society provides many distractions unknown in Jesus’ time, including Netflix, Amazon and Twitter. By putting those things aside as much as possible, Lent gives us time for more prayer and reflection, more time for reading the Scriptures and other spiritual texts, time for letting go of bitterness, anger and fear. “When we empty ourselves, God fills us,” Deacon Allen said.

He acknowledged that it’s not easy to “stay in the mood for Lent.” It can become a time of increased spiritual warfare as we struggle against the demons of our bad nature. However, the struggle is worthwhile. By keeping the Lenten fast, we can gain the strength and discipline to control our instincts and impulses, including our love of money and possessions, and learn to how to keep to a spiritual path throughout the year.