Seven Days to Lent
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
How Do I Prepare Myself To Enter Into A Fruitful Lenten Season
Making Space for Grace: A Lenten Journey
Joel 2:12-14:
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing—grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.
Grace Prayed For
The grace of true conversion—a heart that is fully surrendered to God, open to His mercy, and willing to be transformed through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Reflection
Lent is not about outward displays of piety—it is about returning to the heart of God. The words of the prophet Joel pierce through the noise of our daily lives, calling us to something deeper than mere external observance: “Rend your heart and not your garments.” This is the invitation of Lent—not just to go through the motions of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, but to allow these practices to draw us into authentic conversion.
Prayer in Lent is the quiet space where we meet the One who has never stopped pursuing us. It is the returning, the coming home to the Father who is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. In prayer, we let Him speak into the places we have hidden from Him, allowing His mercy to transform us.
Fasting is not just about giving something up—it is about making space. As we empty ourselves, we make room for God to fill us. In our hunger, we learn dependence. In our self-denial, we become aware of the deeper hunger that only He can satisfy.
Almsgiving is love made visible. When we turn away from our own comforts to see the suffering of another, we begin to understand the heart of Christ. We give not only from our excess, but from our very selves, learning that true love always requires sacrifice.
Lent is a journey of love. It is not about earning God’s mercy, but about making space to receive it. The ashes we wear are not a badge of our holiness but a sign of our need. And in that need, we find Him waiting—gracious, compassionate, abounding in love. He does not turn away from us; He longs to bless us. So let us return to Him, not just with our words or our actions, but with our whole hearts.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage calls us into the very heart of Jesus, who Himself fasted, prayed, and poured Himself out completely for our sake. Lent is not about self-improvement but about walking with Christ into the desert, allowing Him to reshape our hearts. As we embrace these practices, we step into the intimacy of His suffering, His love, and ultimately, His resurrection.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post