Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 (NRSV)
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near--
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them
in ages to come.
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.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children,
even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.
Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep.
Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD,
and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
`Where is their God?'"
Psalm 103 (BCP., p.733)
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 (NRSV)
We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
"At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you."
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Blog Reflection
When Lent begins every year I often feel like expressing the sentiments that Rizzo does at the beginning of the movie Grease. "Well, here we are again." If most of us are honest with ourselves and God, we won't be able to say with Marty: "But, this year we are Seniors." That is exactly why the Church brings us through this time with Jesus, we call Lent. None of us have learned it all. In fact, the reason we are here is because of God's mercy and love to help us to learn and grow in our journey as Christian people.
Lent is that period in the Church year that gives us the time to take a look at where our journey with Christ has been going. In what ways are we growing closer to God? Are there ways in which we can make more space for God? Is there some place of growth that we have been putting off? How serious are we about this life of being a Baptized Christian?
In the reading from Hebrew Scriptures, the Prophet Joel is talking to the people not as individuals, but as a whole community. Joel knows of the ritual worship of the community he is speaking to. However, it is not the ritual he is most concerned with. He is deeply concerned about what is within their hearts. Even as they participate in the ritual of covering themselves with ashes, are they really aware of how their attitudes towards others affects their relationship with God? They may tear their garments to shreds over having offended God, but do they rend their hearts so as to experience real contrition?
In our times, do we care more about doing rituals than using them to unite our hearts and minds to God? Do we receive the ashes on our foreheads with a sense of penance and reverence for the reality that we are on this earth a short time, and accept our Baptismal Vow to love God, neighbor and ourselves with everything we have during our lifetime?
Paul tells us that now is the day of salvation. When I read these words, I am reminded of the new version of Psalm 95:7 in the Common English Bible. "If only you would listen to his voice right now!" God is calling us to salvation here and now. There is a sense of urgency in Paul and the words of the Psalmist. The time to be paying attention to what God is calling us to, is now. What ever our situation might be. If we are facing our best or worst moments. If we are celebrating a new relationship or grieving the loss of one. If we are being energized in a good way by what is going on around us, or totally losing it. The point is God is communicating with us. Through our emotions. Our process of thinking of what it is we want to do. God is calling us like a mother, to keep on trying and working. Do not give up. There is much more that God wants us to do. Are we paying attention right now?
Jesus in our Gospel is instructing us to do what we do for the sake of our relationship with God. Not for our stature within our communities. Not for public respect or prestige. The point is to seek God with what is in our hearts and let that relationship speak for itself. Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not a matter of winning a popularity contest. It is about making space for God so that God can work in and through us. Our prayers, penances and alms giving, whatever practices we do this Lent, are to draw us closer to God and through that closeness with God in others.
Lent is all about addressing our comfort zones. Those spaces in our hearts where there is fear of someone we know very little about, that keep us locked up inside. Such crowded spaces do not allow us to grow. They do not allow us to mature in grace. The Psalmist said in Psalm 118:5 Common English Bible wrote: "In tight circumstances, I cried to the LORD. The LORD answered me with wide-open spaces. The LORD is for me--I won't be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Do we trust God enough to let God answer our prayers with "wide-open spaces?" That is what Lent is about.
Those "wide-open spaces" include accepting others who are different than ourselves. Such as passing marriage equality for LGBT people. Ending racism, sexism and the constant attacks on low income individuals, those who are sick, retired and disabled. Learning to accept people of different religions, cultures and philosophical persuasions, and be open to learning from them.
As we journey with Jesus through the desert we call Lent, we have time to spend looking at those spaces in our lives. How can we open more of them for God? How can we trust in God to answer our prayers to open them? I think some of the answers may be in the Collect for Ash Wednesday, as well as many of the other activities we do and do not do during Lent.
Amen.
Prayers
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p.217).
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected, Book of Common Prayer, p.826).
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