GOD IS OUR LOVING FATHER 

Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. – Joel 2:13

I noticed our daughter was not showing us her grades recently. She would always feel uneasy whenever I ask her about it. Finally, on the day their school released her report card, I learned that she got low grades in some subjects. When I had the chance, I told her that I was not disappointed or angry at her in any way. My love for her will never depend on the grade in her report card. I know she did her best and that’s more than enough for me. I then gave her a kiss and a warm hug to release the burden of guilt on her chest.

I love my kids so much but I’m still an imperfect father. Good thing we have a God who is a perfect Father in every way. I’m sure He knows we fail in some aspects, but He loves us just the same. He’s constantly knocking on our hearts, wanting to invade our life, to give us a hug, a kiss, and a soft whisper saying, “No amount of sin can take you away from My great love.”

P.S. Now my daughter’s grades are improving, but more importantly, our relationship is getting better! God wants to do the same with you. Monching Bueno (ramon_bueno@yahoo.com) 

Joel prophesies a time of great blessing. However, we know that blessings require effort and sacrifice somewhere along the way. The sacrifice that God asks of His people is obedience to His will. God’s will is not difficult or irrational–it is always directed for our good. So why do we still find it hard to obey Him?

Joel 2:12-18

12 Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 13 Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. 14 Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for the Lord, your God. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; 16 gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, “Spare, O Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” 18 Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

P S A L M

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17

R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3[5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R)

2nd READING 

Now is the time of salvation. We cannot put off repenting for our sins. God is a merciful God and so we need never fear drawing close to Him and repenting of our sins. Ironically, from a worldly perspective, this is precisely what He wants us to do so that He can heal us and return us to the path of true happiness and grace.

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

20 Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake, he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 6:1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

GOSPEL 

Jesus reminds us that humility is the key to repentance and a life of grace. This is the witness of the lives of all the saints. The fact that they are so different gives us hope that perhaps we might one day be numbered among them, if not in the canon of saints of the Church, then at least be with them at the heavenly banquet of the Lord. As Lent begins, let us make time for reflection and conversion of heart.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 16 When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

think: Have you ever dreamed of becoming a saint? Why or why not?

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NOW

“Even now” might sound more like the first line of an old, old song to many. But “even now” has nothing to do with romantic ballads and bleeding hearts on account of unrequited love. “Even now, says the Lord, return to Me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping, and mourning.”

They say that iGen people—those who knew of no other world save one dominated by the Internet— cannot process long-winded narratives. They are never interested in so-called “time blocks” but only on the experience of the moment. Their world is the here and the now, never that of their Gen-X parents and baby boomer grandparents. Neither can they envision a future beyond an exciting new experience of the imminent future.

Bad news? Not necessarily! You see, iGen kids are more focused on the now than we adults are. They are more aware of what is going on. They can find out in a jiffy where to get the best nachos or the most talked about breakfast place in town. We “have beens” are taken up by the past (baby boomers) or by the future (GenXers). We seldom worry about the now.

Today, Ash Wednesday, the prophet Joel takes us to task and bellows: “Even now, return to me with your whole heart.” The problem is not really the past. It is gone. The memories of the Japanese atrocities (or even the Marcos Martial Law years) are a collective thing of the past that kids no longer remember or care to even hear about. The real problem is all about now. It is now the hour of salvation. Now is the time to do what really matters.

It is now that we see a world fast reaching the tipping point. It is now that we ought to realize that we cannot go on living like we had one-and-a-half earths to supply us with all we need—with abandon and profligacy. It is now that we ought to repent of our selfish and individualistic ways that are at their worst in the ever-worsening traffic situation, principally due to lack of discipline and illegally parked cars everywhere.

The problem is now. Joel is right. Repent. Now. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS -------

What truly matters to you now? Will it bring you to God?

I return to You, Lord, with a repentant heart. Now. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________