Lent Without Borders

Many privileged American Christians like me are revving up our metaphors of going to the desert with Jesus for 40 days. We’re “fasting” from Facebook, sugar, or alcohol, and taking on a new spiritual practice. But it feels like more of a scandal of disparity this year: Curling up in my cozy home with Lenten meditations on the wilderness while people try to survive crossing literal deserts; not having that glass of wine at dinner while people die of dehydration.