Ash Wednesday

Yet even now, says the Lord,
   return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
   rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
   for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
   and relents from punishing.

Joel 2

Some cultures are comfortable with an outward manifestation of mourning.  Some still tear their clothing and weep.   But most of us do not show what is truly in our hearts when we are suffering deep grief.  We try to ‘keep it together’. 

This approach to heart piercing emotion can be just as false, in its own way, as an overly outward expression of grief that may not be deeply felt.

Joel is encouraging Israel to go deeper.

Don’t just make a show of your repentance, actually repent!  Twice Israel is invited to return to the Lord.  This is the prophet’s call to conversion of spirit—a change of heart.

Open your hearts, Israel, and let the God of mercy love you.

While Ash Wednesday is filled with calls to repent, to fast and to weep about the ways in which sin has increased our disaffection from
God, it is really a call to deeper love.

God is calling us back to center.

God is inviting us to shed the outer trappings of sorrow and embrace the truth of our heart’s desires.

Some of us need to mourn.  Let us mourn with confidence in God’s loving kindness.

Some of us need to repent.  Let us turn around into the light of God’s mercy.

Some of us need to know that God delights in us, just as we are.

Let us dance to the music of God’s grace.

Whatever you need for Lent this year-turn around.

Turn, twirl, and pirouette.

Rend your hearts and not your garments!

Blessings,

Debra