We’re a few days into Lent, the period of fasting. A time when many of us will decide to give up something we love; chocolate, sweets, bread, meat. All of these are popular sacrifices, and inevitably a large proportion of us will have already failed; whether that be due to a dire hangover, sheer boredom, or simply a moment of weakness. And for the stronger individuals who decide to sacrifice something and make it through to the bitter end, what do they achieve from this? To prove to themselves that they can do it? For the fun of it? For that feeling of satisfaction when Easter Sunday finally arrives?
A lot of people will recognise Lent as a Christian tradition, the element of sacrifice meant as a method of being drawn closer to God. This idea of sacrifice has filtered into Western society and is something hundreds of people undertake, religious or not. It is a fact that consumerism has taken over what was once a meaningful period of sacrifice and self-reflection into a money-making machine. Starting with Pancake Day (née Shrove Tuesday) and ending with Easter Sunday, the day of the Easter Egg. Supermarkets across Britain will make thousands of pounds out of these two days, but what can we as people take away from this period other than emptier bank accounts and fuller stomachs?
Lent has become, for many, the time to give something up. Not for a specific reason, but simply because that’s what everyone does during Lent. It doesn’t actually mean anything or benefit anyone.
The charity Stewardship recognised this sad fact and decided to try and do something about it. The result is ’40 Acts’; an online challenge that encourages people to ‘give back, do good, and live generously.’ After signing up to the challenge, every day the particpant will receive an email with an act of good to carry out during the course of the day. This could include reaching out to your neighbours, picking up litter when you see it, treating someone with a surprise, whether it be an unexpected compliment or a treat through their letterbox, or saving up loose change and donating it to a charity.
’40 Acts’ is a wonderful example of how Lent can be turned into something personal and internal into a time of generosity, charity and caring for others. 72,025 people have currently signed up to the challenge, creating a wave of over 1.8 million acts of generosity in more than 180 countries worldwide. It’s not too late to join this growing community; you can sign up today at www.40acts.org.uk. As it says on their frontpage: ‘Why not add something transformational to the traditional?’
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