“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
When life’s demands become too much, I take a walk on the beach. The waves ebb and flow, I breathe in the salty air, feel the warmth of the sun, and soon become mesmerized by the colorful palette of stones, pebbles, and boulders beneath my feet. Inevitably, I spot heart-shaped rocks hidden in plain sight. Big and small, some marked with stripes, some rough amalgamations, some resembling real flesh and blood, I call these “God’s Valentines.” I gather them up and lay them out on the sand like a boutique shopkeeper beckoning customers. Maybe oblivious beachcombers will stumble upon them in their meanderings and be uplifted! Stone hearts placed by a heart of flesh, in this case, from a stranger who cared.
Every year, right in the middle of February, we are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day, unfortunately much hyped and commercial, focused on impossibly romantic declarations of love. Even so, I welcome the day as an invitation to express little acts kindness, especially to those who have long abandoned any possibility of romance. We all have such people in our lives–the elderly in nursing homes and hospitals; lonely shut-ins, the friends and relatives we rarely see; the list goes on.
Curiously this year, the Season of Lent begins on Valentine’s Day, much to the chagrin of those who plan to give up chocolate and alcohol. This may seem an incongruous juxtaposition of events to most, but in my mind, both days are all about love, which makes them more compatible than one might think. If we wean ourselves away from childish practices of austerity (like giving up candy) and graft ourselves onto the the tree of life (the cross), we may come to embrace a deeper understanding. Consider. for example, the historical roots of the season.
Lent was first observed as a forty-day retreat for catechumens (those who were preparing to be received into the Church on Easter). For sure, it was a time of scrutiny, a final purification of old destructive ways of living, but was also a time of excitement and joyful anticipation of personal redemption. Love of God, other people, of life, heightened and soared during Lent. If you have ever been on a life-altering retreat, multiply that bliss by a hundred! Having guided multitudes of seekers during Lent for over thirty years, I continually participated in and can personally witness to that unspeakable sea of joy. I always wished I could bottle and send it to everyone.
The Lenten season offers us a time for personal reflection and this year especially, I am alarmed that stony hearts seem to be the norm rather than the exception. The vilification on social media of anyone who steps out of line, says the wrong thing, or innocently makes an error of judgment has ramped up to an all time high. Even asking a question for clarification on the touchy subjects of politics and religion, for example, sets off a tirade of hateful comments across the cyber waves. Seems like true dialog, the art of civilized conversation, are dead in the water. Our stony hearts are getting stonier; we drastically need a new spirit to bring us compassionate hearts open to gentile listening again.
Since valentines and Lenten rituals entwine like grapevines in 2024, we are offered a unique opportunity to do something different, to make the six weeks of Lent a time to enlarge our hearts, to cultivate the art of living passionately and joyfully. Think about appreciating the smell of bonfires on the beach, the simplicity of solitary contemplative walks, finding surprises right underfoot; spending leisurely hours listening to music, having quality time with loved ones, becoming keenly aware of the river of atmospheric love flowing generously through the air we breathe.
Rather than giving up something for Lent, think about giving away something held dear, like the precious time it takes to hand write a letter, send a card, listen to a friend, make a delicious dinner, waste a whole day playing with children; or taking personal time for creative activities like journal writing, crafting, or exploring an art museum. Perhaps in doing so with intention, the Spirit and the Season of Lent can transform our stony hearts and make personal resurrection a real possibility when Easter rolls around. Valentines and ashes pave the way!
Seeking Wisdom 