Dear Friends

As we leave January behind, my thoughts turn to Lent which, this year, begins on February 18th. Traditionally Lent, the lead up to Easter, is a time of fasting which involves abstaining from meat, fish, eggs, wine, oil, butter and other dairy products. Today, for those who choose to observe Lent, the fast often centres around giving up one particular thing, e.g. chocolate, alcohol or some other treat. Of course, not every Christian observes Lent in this way, and that’s absolutely fine – it’s not up to us to judge the sincerity of others’ faith, rather we should support them. Jesus spoke of His followers not all being alike,

‘I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also’ (John 10:16a)

and the Apostle Paul wrote,

I am free with respect to all… To the Jews I became as a Jew… To those outside the law I became as one outside the law… To the weak I became weak… I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some.’ (1 Corinthians 9:19-22)

Amazingly, February 18th this year is also the first day of Ramadan. Muslims, like Jews, trace their ancestry back to Abraham. Way back in Genesis, Abraham, at his wife’s behest, fathered a son, Ishmael, with her servant, Hagar. When Sarah later gave birth to Isaac, she insisted that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away. As mother and son wandered through the wilderness, God promised Hagar,

‘lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him’ (Genesis 21:18)

In the same way that Jews trace their ancestry back to Abraham via Isaac, Muslims trace theirs via Ishmael.

It is highly unusual for Lent and Ramadan to begin on the same day. Even with Google, I have been unable to find the last time this happened – certainly not in the last 75 years. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, with 12 months each 29 or 30 days long, the whole year is about 11 days shorter than ours. So Ramadan happens at different times of the year as we measure it. During Ramadan, an adult Muslim (with some practical exceptions) should not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset.

Both Lent and Ramadan fasts aim to allow the experience of going without to draw believers into spiritual reflection, leading them to more devout behaviour and a closer relationship with God.

While many today try to group people according to their differences, all people are more alike than different. This year, with Lent and Ramadan starting on the same day, it seems particularly fitting to remember how both faiths look back to God’s promises in Genesis and remind ourselves that all are created in His image.

Many blessings,

Carl