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'It is quite a luxury to be able to give them up in the first place.'

Charlotte Haines Lyon reviews the Christian Aid/CAFOD book for Lent, Thirst for Life

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Thirst for Life, The Christian Aid/CAFOD Lent Book, by Chris Chivers et al, DLT Books, 4.95

I have never been a fan of Lent. Not that it is necessarily a thing to be a fan of. The Lenten abstaining from chocolate, wine or other such vices always niggles.

It is quite a luxury to be able to give them up in the first place.

So it was interesting to be given a Lent book by CAFOD and Christian Aid. Surely they would make us work harder and make us understand what going without really means?

I was pleased to read on page six, that the thought for the day (always following astute reflections on the daily lectionary readings) is “There’s more to fasting than going without fast-food.”

More uncomfortably a later prayer (always ending the day’s notes) asks God to “Help us overcome our egotism.” And this seems to be the point of the book; personal holiness.

Introspection

The writers, from a variety of backgrounds, continually bring the reader back to some hard introspection. There is soul searching around our trust in God, our willingness to obey, follow Him and to forgive – fairly standard fare for Christianity. However our personal lives are challenged as to how they interact with the world at large.

There are not just questions such as “do we speak out against injustice”. More uniquely, parallels are drawn between our everyday attitudes and how these might contribute to a society that produces the power brokers that we are so keen to disparage.

There are also wider worldly reflections – Anthea Dove applies the concept of “the first shall be last” to nuclear arms and Britain’s place at the “top table”. Living in a multi faith world is tackled head on by Hugo Slim.

The different backgrounds and styles of the 6 contributors add to the richness of the book. It is impossible to become weary with tales of human experience combined with theological thinking. The challenges to the micro and macro of our lives are both imperative and welcome.

The book moved me on from the abstinence of Lent so to speak. I was forced to tackle how often I compartmentalise the spiritual, the everyday and the political. There can be no separation. Being right with ourselves and God is part of our fight for justice.

Perhaps its most telling point is in the introduction, reminding us that “In Lent we turn to prayer. We try to live as simply as we can, mindful of the needs of others, celebrating and relishing the good things of creation.”

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