Today is the beginning of Lent. Wow! That seemed to have gone amazingly fast for me and here we are realizing we are coming back to the paramount of our faith with God. Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday are my favorite time of the year. What is your favorite time? The reason this is my favorite time is getting right to the heart of our faith; Jesus dying and then rising from the dead! Today is the beginning of my re-learning to let go of things and truly trusting in Him. I simply want to build a closer relationship and allow Him to work through me.
Our first reading is a direct call to turn to God. How powerful a message! The reading in Joel asks us to “rend” our hearts not our garments, this is to tear into and open our hearts to His love and kindness. I have taken some time and reflected on this passage. To humble myself and sacrifice to return to God and His path. This is not an easy thing for me to consider. Haven’t I been a good and profitable servant to Him? Upon my reflection I have many gaps. How does this reading speak to you? Can you relate to this in your life? What a perfect way to enter this Lenten season, maybe we can begin by taking a moment and perform an act of love for God now.
In our responsorial psalm, we focus on our offenses and ask for God to be merciful to us. It is easy to forget that the sins we commit are directly painful to Him. Realizing all my sins are against Him makes me upset and I feel ashamed. It wasn’t until recently that I understood this feeling should not push separation from reconciliation, the church, nor admitting my faults to myself. Here we are provided with a motivation to change by knowing God is merciful and loving beyond any human comprehension. This reflecting may be solemn, but there is rejoice and spiritual renewal just a few short weeks away! When you reflect on this responsorial psalm what are your thoughts? Will it drive you to view reconciliation differently or perhaps more often?
In the second reading in the letter to the Corinthians it strengthens our calling to be ambassadors for Christ. Certainly, one thought might be, is this still relatable today? I would say yes, perhaps even more so now in our day with societal and political trends and so many technological mediums to reach people. Here we are reminded that we have already received the grace of God through the Holy Spirit and to put that to work in this acceptable time. I see this as a reinforcement to love others as Jesus loves, show mercy and kindness to others, and ultimately be able to be convicted of being Catholic. Maybe a funny way to say it, but for me that phrase motivates me to have more actions and those works to speak louder than any words. If I am to be true to the Trinity, then when is a more perfect time to focus on sharing the grace of God?
Today’s Gospel seems to me that Jesus is handing over a road map on how to act and share the grace of God to others. Perhaps by not limiting us to many rules on how to be, He simply tells us how not to act. Today we have so many voices shouting their thoughts at each other, but Jesus does not say be the loudest voice for Him. When I reflect on this gospel, I realize how beautiful a gift we give to God by working in the background and offering all glory to God! Isn’t He the one who succeeds in all things and accomplishes all? How glorious that I can be a part of that just by quietly giving alms, praying, and fasting to Him that He may work through me! Quite the revolutionary concept denying myself and strengthening Him. Now when I think of that I get so much more excited for Lent and getting closer in a relationship with God. What does this mean to you?