BROKEN HEARTS NOT GARMENTS TORN

PRAYER MOMENT 

Ash Wednesday 18 February 2015

 BROKEN HEARTS NOT GARMENTS TORN

Pause. Enter into the stillness of God within.

Reading: “Come back to me with all your hearts, fasting, weeping, mourning. Let your hearts be broken , not your garments torn, turn to the Lord your God again, for he is full of tenderness and compassion.” (Joel 2:12-18)

Reflection. Lent is a joyful time of ‘coming back,’ returning to the source. We are to feel the anguish of our broken world - a brokenness that runs right through each of us - and go back to our God. So we are to touch things that affect us. Giving up sugar and so forth is good but is really ‘tearing our garments.’ It may be something outside our inner core. It may not touch us where we are called to change. Each of us has to choose; for example, chatting is good but gossiping can be destructive. Living under the same roof is good but caring communication between those who live together is better. How patient, considerate or compassionate am I? Our hearts are broken when we reflect on the suffering around us. Does our world resemble the plan God had when he made us in his image?    

Prayer. Lord, help us during this Lent to return to you. Help us to weep for our world and for ourselves. Help us to come back to you with confidence and joy. Amen.  

David Harold-Barry SJ