Ash Wednesday

So, yes, yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I woke up early to go to the 8:30 mass, and I ended up having some time to spare, so I ended up on Fr. Keyes' Blog reading his pdf file of lenten meditations. I highly reccommend it.

So I looked up the first reading: Joel 2:12-18, and here it is:

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,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.

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.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?'"

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

I don't know why, but this is certainly now one of my favorite Bible passages, especially the first stanza. It was the perfect way to open a season of penitence. I meditated on it for quite a while.

So, in summary (I really need to go do Calc,) I feel gloomy, for other reasons... but my heart feels full to bursting with love for the Lord.