Veganism As A Lenten Fast, Part 1

(This is Part 1 of a two part series on veganism and Lent.  In Part 1, I explain why I choose to go vegan for Lent and what fasting from animal products means to me, personally, as a Christian.  In Part 2, I look at the long history of vegan Lenten fasts among members of the Christian Community.)

As a Catholic, I take Lent seriously.  Lent is a time for me to reflect on and atone for my sins.  As a pacifist, that means acknowledging the ways that I am still contributing to a violent society.

I believe that eating justly is key to living peacefully.  Reflecting on my eating practices is a practical, personal and meaningful way to reflect on systems of violence in my daily life.  Who profits (or doesn’t profit) from the money I spend at the grocery store?  How far does my food have to travel to get to my plate?  What’s the environmental impact of the farm or factory that produced my food?  Finally, what animals were hurt or killed for my meal?  As a vegetarian, I normally abstain from meat as a way to lower my environmental footprint and as a daily reminder of my commitment to nonviolence and respect for all life, but my eating habits are very far from perfect.

That’s why, for the last four years, I’ve gone vegan for Lent.  Being vegan during Lent is an opportunity to atone for the fact that I still contribute to an unjust food culture, and a chance to repair the relationship between my food and the earth.  Of course, veganism can’t address all of the issues that go into food justice (local eating, worker justice, etc.), but I find that changing my diet so radically makes me more aware of other problems in my eating habits.  For instance, I’ve started eating less processed foods since I first began my vegan fast.

Lent is a time to atone for our sins.  One of my favorite priests used to say (and I believe) that the one true sin is failure to love.  If that’s the case, our Lenten fasts should be an opportunity to reflect on the ways that we’ve hurt our brothers and sisters, the earth and ourselves.  I think there can be something very self-absorbed about seeing Lent as a personal opportunity to wallow in self-loathing and repentance.  Lent should be an opportunity to acknowledge our place in the community of God’s family and apologize for having forgotten to love the rest of creation.  That’s why I think Lenten fasts and observances are so great when done with a social justice bent.

So, as you celebrate Lent, I invite you to observe the season by taking some small action to work towards more peaceful and just structures.  Some awesome Lenten observances that I’ve heard about from friends this year include: committing to give a dollar to a panhandler whenever asked, eating unprocessed foods and committing to focus more on anti-racism work on a daily basis.  Whatever you decide to do (or not do) for Lent, I wish you a joyous season of reflection!

For more ideas about how to celebrate a socially conscious Lent, check out:

• Catholics In Alliance‘s awesome Go Green for Lent campaign.
• Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light‘s Lenten Carbon Fast
• Veg 4 Lent

As well as these Lenten Devotionals:

• Sojourners and The Poverty Initiative‘s The Triumphal Entry and the Poor People’s Campaign Mule Train
• Pax Christi‘s Lenten Reflections

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