This is my understanding and experience.
Lent reminds us of our mortality, sin and of the Source of all life. Is sin simply an archaic term used to control weak minded, ignorant religious folks? Sadly, throughout history this has often been the case. This takes away the insidiousness of sin. Sin is often defined as missing the mark or basically having the completely wrong target. It is closely related to iniquity and wickedness which twist what is meant to be good into a selfish rendering. We tend to look at it as moral failing or minimize it as a mistake. Again, this weakens just how negative the effects of sin are in our lives and world today.
I often think of sin as a disease or sickness. You ever see the shirts or memes that say “F cancer”? This is a healthy attitude to have towards sin even if it’s a bit crass. Sin isn’t about smoking or drinking and definitely is not about who you love. It is lies, falsehood and deceit, hatred of neighbors and murder in the heart, betrayal of love and self-worth, pride, arrogance, envy, , lust and greed.
Sin is also the actions that come out of the hardened heart: murder, rape, molestation, coercion, adultery, trafficking, slavery, hate crimes, abuse of every sort, neglect, abandonment, and violence.
Sin is also systemic in an institution‘s sole desire for self protection, no matter if it’s a church, government, college or police force.
Sin that is systemic can also cultural in its bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, prejudices, judgments, racism and slants. Also a culture’s acquiescence to the exploitive pornography industry or even the certain predatorial practices of other business. A culture that clings to the right to take a life. Also the media and political culture we consume experience a smug self- righteousness,
I am in the West so I cannot speak to the sin of other cultures,
Sin can also be national in scapegoating, war for no just reason or profit. Also in being unrepentant for clear wrongs and refusal to do right. National interest over human interest. The atrocities of unrepentant genocide and land theft.
Sin too is to ignore and/or condemn: the hungry, the thirst, the stranger, the homeless, the naked, the sick and the prisoner. We can also sin against ourselves. Anytime we are cruel to ourselves in thought or deed, anytime we refuse to allow forgiveness for being human we are attacking God’s beloved. We do wrong yes, but we not created intrinsically wrong. That is the voice of accusation and shame. You are God’s beloved and child, made in their very image.
This is why God opposes sin and cherishes us. Jesus literally experienced the weight of all this by actually suffering it’s cruelty.
We have been reconciled to God.
We often hear ‘hate the sin, love the sinner’ this is complete BS because if we hated the sin we would be concentrating on allowing God to heal us of our own tendencies rather than judging our neighbors. There is grace for all of the above and that is the offense. Until you see your guilt and sickness and need grace will always seem too lavish.
Who can defend these things? We all know when we do them or see them done it is not how things could be.
If we could let love reign, imagine the possibilities.
All sin is forgiven and healed in the heart of God.
Lent is paradoxical. Examine your sin and know it is forgiven and allow the Spirit to change any hardness of heart to flesh. Change direction (repent) and see the lies and falsehoods. And have grace for yourself. Lent is not about self-hate, that has no place in the believers journey.
When we recognize our collective need, we can work together in our dignity as the children of God to bring with God the Kingdom on earth as in heaven.