It's not too late to turn back to the Lord

 Homily: Ash Wednesday – Cycle C

          “’Even now’ says the Lord ‘return to me with your whole heart…’”  “Even now…”  Friends, we come here to begin this wonderful season of Lent, on this holy day of penitence, and we hear the message from the prophet, “Even now…”  Whether we have been devoted disciples who regularly offer some penance for our sins or disciples who frequently ignore the call to penance… Whether we look at the world with hope that, through the reparations we offer, it can turn back from its sinful ways or we look at the world with despair that it can be saved… In other words, regardless of where we find ourselves—the state of our minds and hearts—we hear these words from the prophet, “Even now…”

          “Even now… return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”  “Even now…” while the world may seem to be falling apart.  “Even now…” while my own security seems to be threatened every day.  “Even now…” while my relationships seem to be broken, hurt, and impossible to repair.  “Even now…” while I feel like my faith is numb and I am far from God (and God from me).  “Even now… return to me with your whole heart… return to the Lord your God.”

          Friends, it is a powerful thing to come together, in whatever state that we find ourselves, and to decide, as a body of believers, as the Body of Christ, collectively to take up the mantle of penitence and, trusting in God, to begin this pilgrimage journey toward Easter seeking to reconcile ourselves and our world to him.  It takes courage to begin this journey, but also faith: profound faith in what the prophet declares about God; “For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.”  So necessary and productive is this call to penitence that the prophet calls everyone out from his or her routine to take part in this pilgrimage offering: “Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room and the bride her chamber.”  And so, we are here today. 

          My brothers and sisters, we renew this time of penitence not because in previous years it has been ineffective, but rather because it never ceases to be effective; and we ourselves, and our world, continue to be in need of its effectiveness.  Therefore, the mark we receive on our foreheads is both a sign of our humility before the Lord and a witness to ourselves and the world of this call of the prophet: “It is not too late to do penance and to return to the Lord. Therefore, let us begin now, with earnestness, zeal, and humility, and the Lord will show his graciousness to us.”

          Therefore, let us not be afraid to fast, and pray, and give alms in penitence for our sins and the sins of the world.  All the while, remaining vigilant against the tendency to “rend our garments” alone, without “rending our hearts”: for it is our hearts that the Lord most wants from us.  “Even now” my friends, let us begin; and let us begin with joy: the hopeful joy of knowing that our pilgrimage of penance leads to the glory of Easter: the glory of our victory over every weakness that afflicts our world with suffering and pain: the glory of Jesus Christ, crucified but risen; the glory of that same One whose glory is shared with us in this Eucharist.

Given in Spanish at St. Joseph Parish: Rochester, IN – March 5^th, 2025