Return,
O Israel, to the Lord, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt
(Hosea, 14:2).
When we began our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, we were reminded that the journey is to return to God. Now, we have come halfway through on this journey. And, once again, we remind ourselves that we are on the journey to return to God. But, what does it really mean to return to God?
First, we must have a contrite heart. But, it is more than penance. In fact, our penance is motivated by our love, leading to stimulate our desire to return to God. And, returning to God also means to love our neighbors better than ever because our love of God also promotes our love of neighbors.
The way of love goes vertically between God and us and also horizontally between our neighbors and ourselves. Thus, the way of love reflects the shape of the Cross, which is a powerful symbol of God's steadfast love.
When we began our Lenten journey on Ash Wednesday, we were reminded that the journey is to return to God. Now, we have come halfway through on this journey. And, once again, we remind ourselves that we are on the journey to return to God. But, what does it really mean to return to God?
First, we must have a contrite heart. But, it is more than penance. In fact, our penance is motivated by our love, leading to stimulate our desire to return to God. And, returning to God also means to love our neighbors better than ever because our love of God also promotes our love of neighbors.
The way of love goes vertically between God and us and also horizontally between our neighbors and ourselves. Thus, the way of love reflects the shape of the Cross, which is a powerful symbol of God's steadfast love.
*****
The Scripture readings for Friday of the 3rd
week of Lent on Cycle A (Hosea 14:2-10; Mark 12:28-34) are about love. First
Reading (Hosea 14:2-10) reminds that the door of God’s heart of love is always
open, even though we have betrayed Him with our sins countlessly, ever since
the great fall of Adam and Eve. God never shuts the door of His heart, the gate
of His mercy. Thus, the First Reading reminds us to return to God as the door
of His heart is still open.
The open door of God’s heart of love and mercy is
reflected so beautifully through the goodness of His Creation (Hosea 14:6-8). This
reminds us that the open door to God’s love and mercy can be found in all
things, as to echo with this important Ignatian principle: Go and find God in
all things. As God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4).
God’s love and mercy are as readily available as the goodness of nature is,
just as dew and lily (Hosea 14:6) are so. At the same time, the love and mercy
of God is so powerful just as the root of Lebanon cedar tree strikes the earth
to put forth its shoot (Hosea 14:6-7). Moreover, the splendor of God’s loving
and merciful heart is like that of the olive tree and its fragrance is comparable
to that of the Lebanon cedar (Hosea 14:7).
God is reminding us that we do not have to go so far
to find Him and to return to His heart of love and mercy through Hosea 14:6-7. His
is found as closely and readily as His Creation, namely, nature. And, upon our
return to Him, God will shelter us with his love and mercy in order to make us
blossom and grow fruitful in His splendor (Hosea 14:8).
This beautiful reflection of God’s loving and
merciful heart in the First Reading also recalls that the love and mercy of
God, chesed of God, endures forever,
as beautifully sung in all 26 verses of Psalm 136, as well as in Psalm 118:1-4,
28. This is why He keeps the door of His loving and merciful heart open for us
to return even though we have hurt and disappointed Him with our sins. Just as the
powerful root of the Lebanon cedar will knock off the earth (Hosea 14:6-7), the
chesed of God will overcome our
sinfulness, as long as we repent of our sins and return to God.
Return to God is an enduring theme for Lent. We started Lent with the theme of returning to
God, citing Joel 2:12, “Return to God with our whole heart, with fasting,
weeping, and mourning” on Ash Wednesday. Now, our Lenten journey has come to
its middle, once again, we remind ourselves that we have turned away from sins
and been on our way to return to God, to enter into His heart of love and mercy
as its door is open.
Return to God with our whole heart…..whole heart. It
means that we must fully commit to our journey of return – conversion of our
heart.
The Gospel Reading for this day (Mark 12:28-34) also
reminds us of our need for wholehearted commitment not only to God but also to
one another (neighbors). In this Gospel reading, Jesus teaches us in Mark
12:29-31 that loving God wholeheartedly, unconditionally (Deuteronomy 6:5) also
means to love our neighbor as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18).
Through our Lenten journey, we have been
wholeheartedly committed to loving God. Therefore, we have turned away from our
past sinful ways and decided to return to God. And, God reminds us that the
gate of his loving and merciful heart is always open. So, we have been on this Lenten
journey to return to God to be sheltered by His love and mercy. And, Jesus
teaches us that our full commitment in loving God unconditionally not only
means our return to God but also to love our neighbors. That is why we heighten
our compassion for our neighbors, especially those whose needs are greater than
our own. So, we demonstrate our compassion through fasting and almsgiving, as
we continue to return to God with repenting heart.
As the steadfast love and mercy (chesed) of God
is found in all things and endures forever, let our love of God and love for
our neighbors prevail and endure likewise! This way, we can keep our hope and
overcome the trials from the current covid-19 virus pandemic.
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