Yet even now—oracle of the LORD—
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God,
For he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,
and relenting in punishment. (Joel 2:12-13 NABRE)
We are told by the prophet Joel to rend, or tear, our hearts. By this he means that we should change our hearts by expressing our grief and sorrow at offending the Lord. During Lent, especially, we spend time doing just that and today's passage brings some measure of comfort to us as we recognize our common tendency to turn away from God and his willingness to welcome us back.
Indeed, the Lord continually accepts us back. As Joel points out, the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and relenting in punishment. The Lord wants us to return to him with our whole heart, each and every time we fall short, and he welcomes us back! In return he requires our sincere repentance. Knowing this, since we don't generally intend to offend the Lord, but do so anyway, why would we not turn back to Him at every opportunity? Why would we not gratefully express our remorse and continually seek to change our hearts?
Today, I will return again to the Lord with my whole heart.
Saint Maximilian, 21-year-old martyr who said, "I shall not die. If I go from this earth, my soul will live with Christ my Lord," pray for us.
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