I was going to take a social media fast beginning the day after Christmas. But then I remembered that Christmas time is feasting time, not fasting time.
The church, in her wisdom, has dedicated seasons of fasting and feasting. Fasting reminds us of our absolute dependence on God. Feasting reminds us that we are on this earth to enjoy it. Fasting reminds us that nothing on this earth is ours. Feasting reminds us that God has shared it all with us!
However, these rhythms of fasting and feasting don’t always line up neatly with the world.
For example, in our culture, Advent (more “pre-Christmas” in North America) is often a season of excess rather than preparation and fasting. In contrast, when our culture pressures us to box up everything and get rid of the tree a day or so after Christmas, the church proclaims that the season of Christmas, which begins in Christmas day, is a twelve-day long feast, culminating in the Epiphany of Our Lord on January 6. Some even extend that feast all the way until the Presentation of Our Lord (Luke 2).
What does all this mean?
1/ Leave those Christmas lights up as long as you want… until February 2 if you want to.
2/ You don’t need New Year’s resolutions or a great plan to be the best version of you in 2021. (2020 has made me seriously rethink the entire Goal Setting Industrial Complex.) You can simply celebrate… and continue that celebration during all of January if you’d like.
3/ If you are thinking of fasting (from social media… or from excess in any area), why not make detailed plans now but save them for Lent, which begins this year on February 17?
4/ Instead of joining the gym in January, why not use the 40 days between Christmas Day and February 2 as a season of delight and joy?
Cheers!