Relenting

BY: REV. RAMIRO RODRIGUEZ, Associate Pastor

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines cliché as: 1) a trite phrase or expression, 2) a hackneyed theme, characterization, or situation. I define cliché as starting an article with the words: “the dictionary defines…”

I am not suggesting that clichés are always bad, or that we should avoid beginning anything with the words: “The dictionary defines”. I am merely suggesting that there are more original, creative, and captivating ways to begin, articles, speeches, sermon, eulogies, or stand-up routines than with the words: “The dictionary defines…”

Having said all that, The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Lent as: “the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern, and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting”.

I’m pretty confident that everyone reading this already knew that, but what you may not have known is that the word, Lent, comes from the Old English, lencten, which means spring. While part of me is tempted to fill the rest of this article with quasipoetical musings on the hope of spring, I think there is more to be gained by looking at the word Lent through a different lens.

A colleague with an excessive fondness for puns recently pointed out to me that the word Lent is right smack in the middle of the word relentless. I am happy to now be aware of this, but for our purposes here, I think we should drop the less and focus on the word relent.

There are two different possible origins of the word relent. The first is from the Latin, lentus, which can mean slow or viscous, but it can also mean supple and flexible. Since the Latin prefix re means “again” or “back”, relent could mean becoming slow, viscous, supple or flexible again. It could mean coming back to a time, or place, when we were slow or flexible.

The other possible origin is from the Old French, rallentir, which means to become less cruel, severe, or harsh. It can refer to a hard heart melting with pity. This definition seems closer to how we define the word relent today, but I think both possible origins can help us grow in our faith this Lent.

In a sense, we are all reLenting. We are all coming back to Lent. We are all experiencing Lent again, and for many of us we are planning on spending this Lenten season in the same way we have experienced previous Lents. We are planning on giving things up and on becoming more intentional - more serious -about our faith.

We are planning to make this Lent a time of strict discipline because that is what we have always done. When we treat Lent in this way, it is easy to understand how Lent could come from lentus, because the forty days certainly can seem to drag by slowly.

Maybe we should relook at our understanding of Lent? Maybe we should view Lent as a time when we become more flexible? Maybe Lent should be a time when we focus on being less severe, and less harsh with those we disagree with? Maybe following Jesus isn’t about getting more serious, maybe following Jesus is about becoming less rigid and more joyous?

Maybe we should quit viewing Lent like we always have? Maybe we should all relearn, reframe, and reimagine how we experience Lent? It’s spring, new life is in bloom everywhere we look. Let’s quit treating Lent in tired, cliched ways and let’s see what blooms in us.

Peace and Blessings, Ramiro