| Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Meditation Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 Ash Wednesday
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. (Joel 2:15-16)
And so begins another season of Lent. Once more, God calls out, “Return to me . . . with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” We know that Lent is a season of fasting and penance, but what does God urge first of all? “Return to me with all your heart. . . . Rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2:12,13).
God is calling us to rend our hearts—to split them open and not try to change them ourselves. Yes, we do repent during Lent, and repentance does involve change. But the goal is not to make ourselves flawless. Who could do that anyway? In fact, Jesus told us not to make a display of our penance (Matthew 6:1). Rather than see us concerned about every little thought and action, God wants us to make our hearts fertile ground for his Holy Spirit, so that he might transform us—supernaturally, “in secret.”
How does this happen? When we give alms and pray and fast, we can invite the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our hearts. By adopting these traditional practices with hearts that are focused on the Father’s love and not on our sacrifices, we allow the Spirit to work in us. We allow him to make us more passionate for Jesus and more compassionate toward others. And as a result, we begin to think and act just as Jesus did.
The Holy Spirit wants to make us confident in God’s love. He wants to make us merciful toward those who need mercy; steadfastly opposed to sin, both in us and in the world; and open to the miraculous. And it all begins as we rend our hearts, plowing up ground for the Spirit to sow his seeds. Let’s embrace this Lent as a time of overflowing grace! In the quiet of our hearts, let’s take up Jesus’ thrice-given promise: “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:4,6,18).
“Holy Spirit, I welcome you this Lent. I want to rend my heart, so that you have room to work in me.” |
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