What Lent Means to Me, Part 2

One of the greatest hurdles I have as a pastor is how traditional church concepts have been used in harmful ways toward individuals. Instead of being used as tools of liberation and to build individual and communal faith, certain terms have been used for shame and to keep power dynamics in place. One of those terms is repentance. I believe there may not be a more important Christian concept in our society than repentance right now. Unfortunately, sometimes repentance is used as a term to shame (I.e. you ARE bad) a person and comes from a judgmental place from one person to another. During my college years, I witnessed multiple "campus preachers" come with their big signs with "REPENT" at the top and then a long list of the "other people" whom they found offensive or disagreed with and, thus, needed to repent to save their sinful soul. That's not helpful. Nor is it really what repentance is about.

I've learned that repentance is much richer and more life giving than that. Several years ago when my wife and I did a west coast trip, we visited the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. One of the art pieces that stood out to me was called "Photo Flux: Unshuttering LA." Here is what it said:

“[This piece] is an offering to the city foregrounding communities that have been traditionally under- and misrepresented in institutions of white privilege and power. The artists in the exhibition, primarily people of color, have radically transformed photography to express their own aesthetics, identities and narratives. They are part of a vital conversation about race and representation and provide an important foundation for emerging photographers in the Unshuttered program. This exhibition, long overdue at the Getty Museum, underscores our growing recognition that this work and these artists matter. We acknowledge that adding diverse voices to our galleries require both immediate action and long-term effort.”

That last sentence is what repentance looks like. It is acknowledgement of a reality that calls people to a change in behavior. When the apostle Paul calls us to "renew our minds" in his letter to the Romans, this is part of what I believe he is talking about.

Repentance is not God shaking God's finger at you and telling you that if you don't stop all the "bad things" you're doing you'll spend eternity in torment. Repentance is an invitation to see with a renewed mind and heart the type of world God wants to create through us and for us to go toward that direction. Repentance begins with seeing the type of Kingdom God wants to bring. One where everybody can flourish and follow Christ. Then taking the time to reflect and see what we are doing individually and collectively that is keeping us from that. There is no shame. There is perhaps some guilt, but the type of guilt that motivates a change in behavior and doesn't denigrate anybody.

Repentance begins with acknowledging the reality of harm. Then it calls us to go a new direction. Repentance is about learning. It's about listening. And then it is about finding ways together to flourish. Repentance like that is motivating. It can build community. During lent, which is typically a time of repentance, it can help bring healing to everyone. May we all take time to reflect and then repent this Lent as we continue to journey toward the cross together.