Lent has arrived with its usual suddenness, catching me mid-stride. While I have always preferred adopting a positive discipline over the traditional act of sacrifice, I believe any meaningful Lenten practice should be anchored in prayer, service, and study. I began this year with ambitious plans that remained unformed; but perhaps by articulating them here, they will take root. If this “grand experiment” falters, I can always retreat to my reliable standby: giving up oatmeal raisin cookies.
I have long admired those with the physical and emotional fortitude to protest injustice—not through violence, but through persistent, forceful calls for change. However, my body, weathered by years of football, and my own temperament make the streets a non-starter for me.
Instead, for the next forty days, I am seeking a way to tackle injustice through a “peaceful approach.” I struggle to define exactly what that looks like, yet the path feels intuitively right for me. My motivation is born from a deep exhaustion with the current tone of our nation. I am searching for a voice that can combat systemic wrongs without perpetuating the very vitriol that fuels them.
I recognize this is no simple task. It won’t be “solved” in the first week, or even the second. It is an evolving process of trial, error, and refinement. But as I head to the pantry to prepare Shrove Tuesday pancakes, I am committing to this search. The ingredients for the pancakes are ready for tomorrow’s feast; the ingredients for a peaceful pursuit of justice begin on Wednesday.
To help this “evolving process” take shape, I’ve sketched out a roadmap that tries to balance prayer, service, and study. Feel free to modify this or ignore sections entirely if you’re following along. I fully expect this map to get torn, spilled on, and crumpled—it’s meant to be lived in, not followed.
This is a draft, an outline that needs room to breathe. You might spend ten days on each phase, or you might find one phase needs your attention for the entire forty.
Phase 1
This is a time for listening in silence to your own heart. Identify an injustice that genuinely touches you and try to unpack the reasons why. It’s about finding where your heartbreak meets the world’s needs.
Phase 2
A period of study. Seek out the words of those who have spoken about injustice in a non-violent way. Look for the thinkers and doers who managed to be forceful without being hateful.
Phase 3
Focus on how to actually call attention to the issue. This might be writing letters, creative advocacy, or finding a unique way to use your specific talents to highlight the injustice from exactly where you are.
Phase 4
As the highlighting of the injustice grows louder, this phase is about consciously lowering the volume of the vitriol. It’s the practice of de-escalation—lowering your own voice and the voices of those around you to ensure the message isn’t lost in the noise.
This journey is about finding a strength that doesn’t require a football-ready body, but a spirit of steel. Whether you follow this path or decide that there is a better route to the Divine this year, the goal remains the same: getting closer to God.
As you move from pancakes to ashes, remember that “falling flat” is simply part of the process. However you choose to travel is up to you, but I encourage you to “take to the road.”
One of your best; you still got it! Now if we can just figure out how to define IT for 80-year olds!?!
Thanks. Slowing down but still trying.