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. We begin Lent with a reminder about whole heartedness. This echoes, of course, the great commandment to “love God with your whole heart, mind and soul.” How easily we apportion out our heart. We have some room in our heart for family, for friends, for community, for work, for play, and, for God. Lent challenges us to see that all that we are and all our relationships only make sense in the light of God. Our Lenten practices, therefore, should be designed to help us move toward whole-heartedness. Instead of adding a prayer to our schedule, look on everything that we do in the light of God’s presence. Instead of simply giving up candy for Lent, get rid of anything that separates us from God. Instead of giving an extra nickel to a pan handler, see all that you have as a gift from God to be used as God intends. Then your Lent will produce a glorious Easter.
