I'm Giving up Lent for Lent

Lent is a forty-day period leading up to Easter that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The word “Lent” comes from the old English word lencten which means lengthen...referring to the season of Spring and the associated longer hours of daylight. The duration of Lent is modeled after the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness after his baptism and just before he began his ministry. Lent is a time of spiritual renewal and reflection through prayer, fasting (giving up something for Lent), and alms giving (charitable donations) in preparation for observing Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

It’s important to remember that the primary purpose of Lent is to function as a time of honest reflection on our lives as followers of Jesus...to admit our failures and face our brokenness. We are to acknowledge where there is sin in our lives and experience the guilt of distancing ourselves from God through our words and actions. We then ask God’s forgiveness, repent (promise to turn and lead a new life), and hope for God’s continued gifts of mercy, compassion, understanding, and grace.

But, for me, Lent this year seems different. No, there’s nothing wrong with reflection that leads to an enriched prayer life, abstinence from things that might be harming us or others, or generous donations to the church or other charities. And, yes, I’m still going to give up something for Lent. But, this year I’ve decided to give up Lent for Lent and here’s why...

I recently gave a sermon on loving your enemies and as all of you were exiting the Chapel here’s a comment I heard. “I don’t have to worry about loving my enemies because I don’t have any enemies.” Oh, that we could all say that with conviction!

Now, I am not sure what she meant. I understand not one single person that she would say was her enemy. I get it...I do. But, in that same sermon I spoke about how I didn’t think Jesus addressed his comments about loving enemies to individuals but to groups. So, my thoughts began to go beyond individuals to groups of people and how they might be my enemies.

I decided that drug cartels and others who produced and sold drugs to young people leading to addiction and overdose deaths are my enemies. I thought about those who would get involved in human trafficking and ruin so many young lives as my enemies. I began to think about how leaders of nations who would send their young people to fight and die in war were my enemies. I began to single out those groups of people who would discriminate and oppress others because of their skin color or sexual orientation or gender identity. I focused on those who would not protect or support or value our elderly as my enemies. I set my anger on those who never live up to their commitments and shirk from their responsibilities. And, the list went on and on and I struggled to find any love in my heart for any of them.

But, this year I just can’t stand to reflect on sins like these. This year I can’t bear any more guilt. This year is different. This year I feel totally surrounded by chaos, upheaval, death, and destruction. This is the year of Ukraine and Gaza and war among nations and among people. This is the year of political revenge and retribution and the threat of civil chaos and confusion and that has left us with no clear direction. This is the year...