Thursday after Ash Wednesday
Gregory Norbet, a former Benedictine monk at Weston Priory in Vermont, composes music “to introduce a sense of God’s peace and help impart the strength needed to meet life’s challenges.” As we begin our Lenten journey, let us reflect on his words in his hymn “Hosea” more closely.
Come back to me with all your heart. Don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend, though straight and tall; so must we to others’ call.
Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new life.
The wilderness will lead you to your heart where I will speak.
Integrity and justice with tenderness you shall know.
Long have I waited for your coming home to me
and living deeply our new life.
You shall sleep secure with peace;
faithfulness will be your joy.
Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new life.
This hymn offers us hope for a new life when we fix our gaze toward God. In the readings of today, Moses and Jesus focus on life and death. In the first reading, Moses delivers a stark message to the people of Israel. “If you obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy.” In Luke’s gospel, Jesus describes the central events of his passion, death and resurrection. Jesus details exactly what was going to happen to him. He will suffer greatly, be rejected, and ultimately killed. But all of this would lead to the resurrection, a new life that will never be taken away. In addition, Jesus says that those who want to be his followers must deny themselves, take up their crosses and follow Him.
Perhaps we can reflect on the ways that prevent us from giving ourselves fully to God. Part of the invitation of Lent is to focus on the things that make it difficult for us to fully embrace God’s love, or as Gregory Norbet put it, to fully respond to the invitation to come back to Him with all of our heart. Where is our hesitation? What are we worried about giving up? Moses’ and Jesus’ message is clear—a life spent focused only on ourselves will not open to eternal life.
As we set aside some time for prayer today, let us ask God to open our hearts embrace the way of radical love and discipleship. May He help us understand what it means to take up our daily crosses, and give us the strength and grace to follow Him, no matter the cost. Our faithfulness will bring us peace and joy, and God will greatly rejoice in our homecoming!
-Jessica Gabrielli