Happy Ash Wednesday! ♥ Happy Valentine’s Day! ♥

It seems perfect that Ash Wednesday – a day that marks the start of Lent and our 40-day journey of spiritual preparation and self-examination leading up to the Easter celebration – should fall this year on Valentine’s Day –  a day associated with several early Christian martyrs named Valentine and recognized as a time for celebrating love and friendship.

Lent is certainly a time for abstinence, self-reflection, and penance. But Lent is also a time to listen more closely for Jesus and to trust in His loving call to follow Him. ♥

Luke’s Gospel recounts the story of Jesus calling Simon Peter as His disciple:

“One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around Him and listening to the Word of God, He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

“When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’

“Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’

“When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

“When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.” Luke 5: 1-11

I can totally relate to Peter’s concern that his sins are far too great for Jesus. I can also totally relate to Jesus telling Peter not to be afraid and to believe in how much He loves him.

The love Jesus has for all of us is on full display within Luke’s story. Make no doubt about it – Jesus is telling us to stop sinning. But Jesus is also asking us to not be afraid to start loving Him – and each other! He is asking each one of us to follow Him, to cast our nets deeply into life’s ocean, and to draw more souls to Him.

This Lent, may we all embrace more fully Christ’s call to leave behind our sinful ways, and to love more deeply.

And this Valentine’s Day, may we all be assured of how very much Jesus loves us.

Jesus loves you.

He loves you deeply and without end.

God’s love never fails. ♥