Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
Today’s first reading begins with these words - “Come, let us return to the LORD, it is he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming, and his judgment shines forth like the light of day! He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.” - Hos 6: 1 - 3
Wow. What a message for us to hear at this moment. As I am writing this, I am currently awake at 4 am, because the spring thunderstorm outside is too loud - the spring rain, watering our earth is just too intense for me to sleep right now. If I step back and look at the intensity of this rain and see that God’s love can be equally as intense - wow. God’s love is constantly raining down on us - but I don’t always step back to marvel at it, the way I did this thunderstorm.
But that can change. I can begin to see it. This reading begins with reminding us to return to the Lord, to return our hearts to God. I can open my eyes to look for God’s love and then truly begin to see that it is a deluge upon us, just like this rain. Throughout this pandemic, I have been continuously trying to remind myself of the call in this reading - return to the Lord. He will revive us. He will raise us up. He will see us through these uncertain and challenging times - but it’s not going to be easy.
Not being able to go to mass, to receive communion makes my heart hurt - I know it is necessary to protect all of us, but I am sad. Church is a place where I can reconnect with Jesus and it brings me a sense of peace, of renewal, of community and of strength. But now our physical churches are closed - but Christ is not, He is still accessible to us, just not in the same way. We are called now to make our home a domestic church, even more than before. Our homes must become a place where we find Jesus, where we pray as a family, where we create peace, find reconciliation and build community.
My favorite Lenten song is the song, Hosea, by John Michael Talbot. I have listened to it every morning since being “homebound” and it helps me find focus in these times. I included the lyrics here for your reflection.
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.
I think often of the lasting impact this pandemic is going to have on all of us - we will be changed by this global experience. And my prayer is that we all come back to God - that we return to the Lord - as individuals, families, churches, nations and the world. . I pray that when the busy days, the gatherings of people, the work days return, we can bring God to them in a new, intense way. We will cherish those we are able to spend time with. We will be thankful for the work we are able to do, and the people we are able to do it with, and we will find ways to continue to see the deluge of God’s love raining down upon our lives. Amen.
- AJ Grimm