This article was originally published on Thu, 08 Feb 2024.

Every now and then, the beginning of Lent, Ash Wednesday, falls on Valentine’s Day. Some people say, how do you make sense of Lent and Valentine’s Day on the same day? Come to think of it, isn’t Valentine’s Day all about celebrating loving relationships? In other parts of the world, Valentines is a day to express love for family members and friends. But no matter how it is celebrated, it is all about love. These 40 days of Lent are given to us to prepare for the celebration of God’s love for humanity. We are reminded that, from the time of the fall, all God wanted was to restore His friendship with us. God simply must call us back to this loving relationship. God is love and all that God diffuses is love. That is why I believe it is fitting that Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day - to call us to renewal and conversion, to make some changes, to die to oneself so that we can rise to that life-giving love that Christ offers us on Easter.  In his 2024 Lenten message, Pope Francis reminds us of a question that God asked Adam and Eve after they had eaten of the fruit, “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9) God was looking for them not to judge them, but rather to enter into a dialogue. Notice here that God made the first move to search out where Adam and Eve were hiding, and God reached out. Lent reminds us that God continues to reach out to us. He does not want any of us to be lost. He knows our limitations; thus, He comes to tell us that He understands us and loves us. That is what Lent is about. It is a time to respond to the call. Let us not allow our fears, our notion of unworthiness hide us from God. Lent invites us to open our ears and our hearts and listen to the voice of the Lover. And we can do that by practicing the three disciplines of Lent: Listen in prayer. Fast from the noises, activities, attitudes that inhibit us from hearing His voice. Give alms, which is to be good to others and to ourselves. In doing so, we rediscover that God absolutely loves us. This Lent, I invite us all to think of a “sacrifice,” something you want to do this season. Maybe we open our heart to someone who annoys us or who has hurt us or is different from us. Maybe seeing the “good” in everyone we encounter. Maybe try to be humble and honest with ourselves, keeping in mind that we are not always right, then begin listening to the “other.” Maybe setting aside some time away from our busyness, fears, anxieties, and enter into dialogue with God and our loved ones. God made a sacrifice. He sent His Son. His Son was nailed to the cross. He died. The Sacrifice! But it did not end there. God’s willingness to sacrifice gave us new life. The resurrection of His Son tells us that God’s act was not in vain. God is victorious. By dying Jesus destroyed death forever, and by rising restored us to everlasting life. That is Love! That is Valentines! That is Lent! Let us ask the Holy Spirit, for whom our parish is named and consecrated, to guide us and give us the strength as we journey through Lent.