Turn Back - Be Faithful

"Repent and Believe the Gospel." We may hear these words as we celebrate Ash Wednesday ~ both verbs are important, indicating different aspects of how we should make our Lenten journey beginning today and ending with Easter Sunday.

First, we turn away from sin ~ conversion ~ recognising we can change our direction and turn back to God. True conversion involves a change of heart.

We are also called to "be faithful to the Gospel". The Gospel or Good News is that we are already forgiven! We do not earn God's forgiveness. Our task is to believe this and accept God's gracious mercy poured out on us throughout the 40 days of Lent. If we want to be noticed and praised, our deeds are ultimately futile. If our true goal is to help others and draw closer to God through prayer and penance, then we will achieve this end whether anyone observes us or not (see Matt 6: 1-6).

True transformation happens not when we seek to impress others with our righteousness, but when we allow ourselves to be transformed by grace in the hidden places of the heart—where only God sees, and where God's seeing is enough.