We are naturally drawn to the beautiful, the urbane, the flawless, the strong, and the pure. God however, throughout the whole history of salvation, has always been attracted to the ugly, the dirty, the uncouth, the weak, and the sinful. Why this is so can only be explained by the mystery of divine love. It is mystery not because we cannot understand God’s love; it is a mystery because it is a truth that keeps revealing more and more of the face of God as we reflect on it. God is much more than we think he is!

God has always called sinners back, in the manner of the father who tirelessly summons the wayward child back home. When the Lord Jesus was asked why his favorite companions seemed to be the outcasts, he reminded his interlocutor that he has come to visit the sick to bring healing, and the sinner to bring new direction and new life. I wonder if the questioner realized how much love there was in that iconic reply that would echo through the ages. Therein is the mystery of love!

Isaiah breaks down the effects of heartfelt conversion. The one who responds positively to the invitation of the Lord to return to him will live in the light, will have renewed strength, and will receive blessings beyond imagination.

Lent opens a floodgate of possibilities for us to rediscover the love of God, not as a theory, doctrine, or theme for discussion and study but as a personal experience of growing in relationship with the Lord.

How wonderful it would be to know Jesus as the physician who heals me of my physical but also of my moral and spiritual infirmities. How great it would be to see positive changes in my life as I allow God to walk with me and to conquer the darkness to which I have been accustomed. I pray for the gift of deep prayer, sincere love, and arduous desire to open myself to God’s grace through Confession, reconciliation with neighbor and departure from old and sinful ways.

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