Fat Tuesday
Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. - Luke 15:23 (Read the rest of the story HERE)
Traditionally today is called Fat Tuesday, a.k.a., Mardi Gras. That’s because it’s a day of feasting and fun the day before Ash Wednesday, when many Christians begin some form of fasting (there will be some guidance for an at-home Ash Wednesday experience tomorrow in the devotions, fyi).
As we’ve been thinking about deconstruction and reconstruction, maybe it’s time to ask not only “What if Ash Wednesday isn’t just about fasting?” (which is an important question) but also, “What if the feasting on Fat Tuesday is a gift to us to help deconstruct and reconstruct our faith?”
When Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son, the above line is the climax. There are many things to think about in that line, but today, just think about the role of feasting. It’s a crucial part of the life of God. Two key things can be said about how it marks transition:
It marks the major transition in the life of the younger son who has turned the corner to reconstruct his image of his father and his relationship to his father. What if we had rituals of reconstruction? What might ‘feasting’ look like for you or for those close to you as a way to celebrate an important moment of reconstruction?
It marks a major invitation to the older son to deconstruct his image of his father and his relationship to his father. Feasting itself - an intensification of the experience of God’s goodness - can often lead to a real questioning of the rigid forms of religion we cling to in order to lock down certainty and to rule out ambiguity and anxiety. How have experiences of God’s goodness changed you? Is there a role for feasting now for you or those close to you in the deconstruction process?