Daily Bible Reflections - February 13,2013

Ash Wednesday

 

TERRORIST IN THE PRINTING PRESS

 

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. – Joel 2:13

 

I used to follow a strict, sometimes unkind, work ethic to get things done.

Later, I would find out, I had so terrorized people that they don’t easily forget me — and my tyrant ways.

Like Jess who printed a magazine I edited some 30 years ago.

Last year, I met Jess again because he was printing another publication I was editing for a client. And the moment Jess and his staff saw me, they looked like they were seeing a monster.

Yes, they hadn’t forgotten the “terrorist me,” who behaved so far from the Lord’s ways as enumerated in the first reading.

When I received the assignment to write this reflection last year, I was so busy that I got to look at the readings only three days after — guess what — exactly on Ash Wednesday! And, would you believe, I just came from church where I had lined up to receive ash on my forehead!

So now I rend my heart and pray that I can be as kind as the Lord. Because I am working again with Jess and his staff on another printing project. Cynthia U. Santiago (cusantiago@gmail.com)

 

Reflection: Lent is here. Be kind.

 

Lord, I pray I may be merciful not only during Lent, but always and forever.

 

St. Giles Mary of St. Joseph, pray for us.