I find it interesting when we get to the Lent season in the hymnbook our church uses. Typically, the hymns for Lent are fairly somber, usually played in lower keys, and the tempo of the tune is supposed to be a little bit slower than normal. In a way, it can almost seem like you are at a funeral when you sing quite a few hymns commemorating the season of Lent.
I've given thought to this over the years. I remember when I was growing up that it seemed you weren't supposed to smile or be happy during the Lent season. Typically, in Lutheran congregations, we also don't sing hymns or canticles with the word "Alleluia" in them. All of this, combined together, can make it seem as though the Lent season is one long dirge.
But I would argue that this is a misunderstanding of Lent. In a way, it ties in with my earlier post about this season being all about our sin and our focus on it. However, the thing that so often seems to get lost is that we reflect on our sin because we see that God has saved us from our sin, forgiving it fully and completely in Jesus and the cross. While we may reflect on that sin, we don't do so as though we're supposed to wallow in it. We do so because we have the joy that our sin has been forgiven. We are a new creation! We are God's own children, heirs of eternal life with Him!
While we are not joyful about our sin, we rejoice in the fact that we are forgiven through Jesus and the cross. But here's where this impacts us so much with the music of Lent. It just "seems" wrong to be joyful or upbeat when we are reflecting on our sins, but I would make the case that this is only true if we fail to get to our forgiveness.
I have no problem with singing a hymn or song slowly, especially during Lent. However, it just seems appropriate to pick up the pace and lighten our voices when we get to the forgiveness parts. After all, we aren't left in our sin. Jesus has died with our sin, but just as importantly, He has risen from the dead and declared Himself victorious over our sin. We are forgiven! We should rejoice.
So Lent is not just a six and a half week dirge. Instead, we should reflect on our sin in all somberness and seriousness, but then we should respond with equal or greater joy that we have been forgiven! We turn our dirge into a victory dance, and all because we have the assurance of our forgiveness, through the grace of God shown to us through Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.
I've given thought to this over the years. I remember when I was growing up that it seemed you weren't supposed to smile or be happy during the Lent season. Typically, in Lutheran congregations, we also don't sing hymns or canticles with the word "Alleluia" in them. All of this, combined together, can make it seem as though the Lent season is one long dirge.
But I would argue that this is a misunderstanding of Lent. In a way, it ties in with my earlier post about this season being all about our sin and our focus on it. However, the thing that so often seems to get lost is that we reflect on our sin because we see that God has saved us from our sin, forgiving it fully and completely in Jesus and the cross. While we may reflect on that sin, we don't do so as though we're supposed to wallow in it. We do so because we have the joy that our sin has been forgiven. We are a new creation! We are God's own children, heirs of eternal life with Him!
While we are not joyful about our sin, we rejoice in the fact that we are forgiven through Jesus and the cross. But here's where this impacts us so much with the music of Lent. It just "seems" wrong to be joyful or upbeat when we are reflecting on our sins, but I would make the case that this is only true if we fail to get to our forgiveness.
I have no problem with singing a hymn or song slowly, especially during Lent. However, it just seems appropriate to pick up the pace and lighten our voices when we get to the forgiveness parts. After all, we aren't left in our sin. Jesus has died with our sin, but just as importantly, He has risen from the dead and declared Himself victorious over our sin. We are forgiven! We should rejoice.
So Lent is not just a six and a half week dirge. Instead, we should reflect on our sin in all somberness and seriousness, but then we should respond with equal or greater joy that we have been forgiven! We turn our dirge into a victory dance, and all because we have the assurance of our forgiveness, through the grace of God shown to us through Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection.
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