Ash Wednesday 2011 - Come Back To Me

        Ash Wednesday is come again.  Thank God. 
       The Lord says through Joel,  "Return to Me."  St. Paul says, "I BEG you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."  I think he would prefer that be put in all caps. BE RECONCILED TO GOD!  In email and internet parlance, all caps is the equivalent of shouting. 
         I want to ask you just what does one DO with all of this kind of talk?  What if I (or you or we) were not even aware in the least that we have need of such thing?  Well, then, that might be a problem  and which is precisely why Joel is talking about blowing trumpets (wake up call) and why the Ash Wednesday Collect says, drawing from Psalm 51, "Create and make in us new and contrite hearts."  It is just when we start to think - "I don't need this stuff : God and I are just fine" that we are in the most difficulty.  We are in quicksand and don't even realize that we have fallen.  The simple truth is just what John says - All have sinned and fallen short....When our hearts are softened toward God, we realize just how much we fall short.  I did it at 4:00 this afternoon, Lord, help me. It wasn't huge in the big scale of things, but it was one of those little stumbles that lets you know - "O wait a minute...that wasn't exactly right."  So, we do need to return and we do need to be reconciled.  If you don't have a sense of your need for this--then ask God for that new and contrite heart.  He will give it to you, and it will be as tender as the skin of a newborn baby.  And, that will be something worth having.  May God bless you this Lent.