“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”
Isaiah 58:6
March 19, 2024
Leaning Into Justice During Lent
When I was a kid, my mom insisted that we give up something during Lent. Candy? Ice Cream? In my case, since I’m not into sweets, I was encouraged to give up purchasing books. That hurt. Sometimes Mom would suggest that we give up certain behavior. Lying. Cursing (that didn’t work for me). Fast forward. Most years I do an economic fast, purchasing only necessities. No magazines or books, except for my research. No new clothes or fripperies. I also put myself on a strict food budget of $50 a week, which means I can’t eat out (though you can treat me).
Isaiah encourages another kind of fast, a more meaningful fast than giving up food or shopping. He asks that we fast toward justice, lean into justice, loose the chains of injustice and set the oppressed free. How must we do that? What actions must we take for social and economic justice? What can we do each day to lean into justice? Join a protest action? Participate in a justice ministry? Write a letter to a legislator? A couple dollars to a panhandler? A larger contribution to a worthy cause?
Isaiah challenges us to lean into justice. How will you lean into justice during Lent?
Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Morning Meditations Team
Prayer: Holy Parent, help us to give up and lean in. Help us to work for justice every day, but especially during this Lenten season. We appreciate you and adore you for our inspiration. Amen.
Lent 2024
We invite you to join us in reflection, meditation and prayer for a season of renewal, repentance and rejoicing from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.
Each day is a reflection representing the thoughts and aspirations of the members and friends of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church expressing what the season of Lent means to them. Their wide range of perspectives describe how this time of renewal, repentance and rejoicing has been and will be used to focus on Jesus’ life, crucifixion and resurrection.
Read along with us each day or download the book to read and write along with us offline.