In the first reading from Joel today, God invites each of us to “return to me with your whole heart”.  Who could refuse this amazingly generous invitation to return to God with, not only our joys and accomplishments, but also with our needs and weaknesses?  Yet, how difficult this journey to God sometimes is, since aren’t we a people with competing responsibilities, demands, and distractions with little time for prayer and relationship?

But we have Lent!  Lent is a gift, a special time, a structured time that encourages us to reflect, to focus on this return to God, to put aside distractions and demands.  It is a call to pray as individuals and as a community, to reach out to others with care and service both within and beyond our community. Lent also gives us beautiful liturgy that moves us closer and closer to the mystery and celebration of Easter. Even creation reflects this movement to Easter.  We begin Lent in the cold and dark but days gradually lengthen and the world is warmed and brightened anew by the presence of God in the resurrected Jesus. Lent is a time to rediscover this presence of God around us and to recognize his working within us.

Today Joel also writes, “blow the trumpet in Zion… to gather the people, notify the congregation … to spare your people.  Trumpets often herald the arrival of a great person or a great event. The trumpet is announcing our salvation and God’s invitation to return to him with our whole heart.

This year Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day are the same day – what better day to celebrate God’s love for us and ours for him as we begin the serious but joyful journey of Lent toward the resurrection?