Leant On

THE Christian season of Lent is a time for giving things up and reflecting on one’s relationship with God. Squeezed between the secular celebrations of Pancake Day and Chocolate Egg Day, the Lenten message of penitence, self-denial and preparation for the life to come is largely ignored. This year, however, may be different.

Last week, on a BBC Radio 4 Lenten talk on the theme of abandonment, Benjamin Cohen, founder of the online publication PinkNews, likened the treatment of gay people in Britain to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Speaking about his own fears of being rejected by his faith community for being gay, he said: ‘The feeling of abandonment by God in some ways has a resonance with the words of Christ in both the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, where he says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

‘Do people of faith really want to reject their children for something which I believe they can’t help? Just as the Jewish authorities rejected Christ for something he considered he couldn’t help - being the Son of God?’

Theologically, a person’s sexuality - and the consequences of that sexuality - is nowhere near being on a par with the sinless Jesus laying down his life so that a sinful world could be saved from sin’s consequences.

Emotionally, however, there is an issue. The BBC is being criticised for allowing the ‘true meaning of Lent and Easter’ to be hijacked. But if people of faith showed the kind of no-nonsense compassion of Jesus, would any members of society feel so desperate as to compare their suffering to that of the crucified Christ?

The gospel truth is that Jesus died and was raised so that the whole of humankind could repent, be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God that will last for eternity.

UK & Ireland War Cry March 2013