My heart is breaking over events in Ukraine. As I continue to meditate on the readings from Ash Wednesday, I’m drawn over and over to Joel 2:12–13—
“Yet even now,” says the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning…”
Joel is crying to a people crushed by an invader the way Ukraine is being crushed by Russia. Read this little book, and weep with them. Weep at the horror; then lift your head at the hope.
Lord, have mercy
Joel’s three chapters are full of terror but also of comfort and triumph. Evil brings unbearable anguish into the world. Sometimes we call trouble on ourselves because of personal sin; and even when we are innocent, sin is at the root. BUT the Lord will judge. His judgment may shake the world “but the Lord is a refuge to his people” (3:16).
“Yet even now,” says the Lord, …
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
“Yet even now.” Even in the middle of the chaos. Even when it might seem as though it’s too late. While there is breath, there is still hope and God never stops calling us to return to him.
Candles in St Peter in Gallicantu, Jerusalem, not far from a pit where Jesus may have been held the night of his arrest. Photo by Sarah Christmyer.
Reading this now, at the start of Lent and with the news that gets worse by the hour, I’m reminded that we all are connected. World peace isn’t just somebody else’s problem. World peace begins with personal conversion; it begins in my heart and yours. And each of those Ash Wednesday readings contains an urgent personal cry (emphases mine):
The first reading:
“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to me … and rend your hearts” (Joel 2:12,13)
The second reading:
“We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God […] Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 5:20, 6:2)
The verse before the gospel:
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Psalm 95:7-8)
After that buildup, the gospel (Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18) gets down to the business of how to approach this God who is both terrifying in power and extraordinarily kind and merciful. Quietly, without fanfare so only God knows,
- Fast: empty yourself of all that stands between you and God so there’s room for him inside.
- Pray: reach out to the Lord and share your heart; give him praise and thanks; tune your ears to listen. Allow him to speak into your life and fill you with himself.
- Give: of all that you’ve been given. Allow God’s abundance to overflow to others.
The need to return
We can’t do it unless we first return to God. Which is why Psalm 51, David’s beautiful penitential psalm, takes center stage as our response to God:
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
“Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
David’s prayer is ours, too
Notice that although the psalm itself is the cry of an individual, when we sing it at Mass, our response is collective. “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.” During Lent, we can pray this for ourselves as we repent and we can pray it, joined to Christians around the globe, for the sins of the world.
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he….
Now, let us pray
Lord, have mercy on Ukraine.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Lord, have mercy on Russia.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Lord, have mercy on us all.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
© 2022 Sarah Christmyer
Continue this reflection by praying with me with Psalm 51, in this 10-minute audio:
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To reflect on the Sunday readings with my Lenten reading plan, download directions here. You can read about it in last week’s blog post:
Another way to pray this Lent is with the Penitential Psalms. Download instructions here or use my guided journal, “Create in Me a Clean Heart: Ten Minutes a Day with the Penitential Psalms.”
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