Lent—Finding Our Way Back to God’s Mercy
It is often thought that some things are best left unsaid. We can think of many times in our daily lives, media, books, etc., where this notion might apply well. Even in the Good Book, we may often find some passages that leave us wondering if they should have been noted. In Psalm 137: 9 for instance, the psalmist makes reference to “The one who seizes your children and smashes their heads on rocks”. The Church removed this verse from the readings due to the offensive graphic violation on human life and the deep sense of sadness that it leaves. Many have wondered about its origin and meaning and why such a sorrowful, graphic image could be in the Bible- much less be about children. But it speaks to the ways that the people of God lament, and the lessons we are meant to learn from such an act.
What is lamenting? Do people even do such a thing anymore? We often associate lamenting with loss and mourning of those we love. It can be heartbreaking to see, and all we wish to do is to surround the person who is lamenting with comfort. Nevertheless to lament, as sad as it may be, carries a deep sense of prayer and yearning for mercy. In fact, only on Holy Thursday and Good Friday do we as Church lament and mourn. Difficult as this form of prayer may be, it has its place in Lent, because the depth of such prayer taps the whole heart so that we as Church can render collectively an account of our sins.
In high school, I pulled a prank on a teacher and only later realized the impact of the incident. The teacher pulled me aside the next day and explained the depth of her disappointment and regret about my actions. I saw the hurt in her eyes and quickly felt bad for what I had done. Only when I lamented and mourned my wrongful behavior, could the wedge be removed to move the relationship toward reconciliation.
The book of Joel urges us to mourn and lament our wrongdoing against God in a collective way (2: 12-17). By entering into this prayer form, the whole heart is laid open so that our attitude longs for the mercy of God. The author stresses that it takes everybody to do this: children, infants, bride and bridegroom (2: 16). Lent presents a way for us to return to God because we are collectively dependent on God’s mercy to be children of God. So while these next 40 days may seem like a mournful journey, we hold steadfast to the mercy and glory that await us throughout and after our Lenten Way.
Reader Comments (1)
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