By Holy Envy she meant the openness to looking across the fence and noticing aspects of the neighbor's religious customs/beliefs/practices which we wished we also had.
She did not make reference to Lent, but I was wondering about comparisons between Lent and Ramadan. The Christian traditions associated with Lent are diverse; my limited observing of Ramadan has suggested to me that followers know what is expected of them and thus they do not spend the first week wondering if this discipline choice is appropriate.
She did not say it, but I wondered if our basic theological affirmation that in Christ we have been set free (and how we in our culture have taken "freedom" primarily as a reference to personal freedom) impedes our willingness to be told "This is how you are to observe Lent!"
When faced with unlimited choices, the choice I make is often to merely not get around to choosing.
"Holy Envy" will hit me most acutely come Easter. When I find myself "surprised" that Lent is already over and the Alleluias are once more being sung, I will be envious of those for whom these 40 days were a time of dedication to the spiritual life, were a period of preparing and anticipating, were an opportunity to not merely confess but to follow.
This is potential Lent holds for us.
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