The liturgy for the first day of Lent makes aware of how we are sinful before a Holy God, and the pressing need to embrace God's free gifts of grace and mercy by which He restores us to right relationship with Him.
Joel uses urgent language in calling for a fast and an assembly, having everyone come, young and old, bride and bridegroom, as they plead for God to be merciful.
St. Paul writes the Corinthians to embrace God's grace because "now is a very acceptable time...now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2 NABRE). As we see in Joel, God responds when His people turn from sin to Him once again.
Truly Lent is about our efforts in having a right relationship with God, which we foster through practices like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, which, in the Gospel reading, a selection from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, we do from our heart for God alone.
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