Once again, we come to the season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday. Every year, we practise the three pillars of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. I have always wondered why we practise these during Lent only? Does that mean that we are free of these practices for the rest of the year? I always find it amusing that only during Lent do we intensify our efforts, just because it's Lent.

The Prophet Joel in the first reading tells us very clearly that we need to let our hearts be broken and not our garments torn. Sadly, this is what happens to many people during Lent. We focus so much on the external that we forget the call of Joel - to come back to the Lord with all our hearts, fasting, weeping, mourning. We fast but do we truly weep and mourn because of our transgressions?

As the Collect of the Mass tells us, that as we are to take up battle against spiritual evils, we may be armed with weapons of self-restraint. Self-restraint comes from within and not from external practices. If our hearts are not genuinely contrite, then what we practise externally will not lead us to true repentance. We pray for the grace to give ourselves fully, heart and soul, to our journey back to God.