Ps 51:3-4.5-6ab.12- 13.14,
2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2,
Matthew 6: 1-6.16- 18 Full Readings
The Wonders of Faith and Prayer
Brethren, today we start our annual observance of the Lenten period, a period of forty days, a time for intense preparation of our hearts (and bodies) to receive the light of the risen Christ on Easter. The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus' forty days in the wilderness while he was being tempted. Forty is a significant number in the Scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence (expressing true sorrow for sin and wrongdoing) as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover of Jesus' victory over sin, Satan, and death. Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 AD teaches us, "Christians must always live in this way, without any wish to come down from their cross - otherwise they will sink beneath the world's mire. But if we have to do so all our lives, we must make an even greater effort during the days of Lent. It is not a simple matter of living through forty days. Lent is the epitome of our whole life." (Excerpt from Sermon 205, 1)
At the beginning of this period, on this Ash Wednesday, the Lord calls us to rend our hearts not just our clothing, in other words, to let our hearts be broken, not just our outside and external observances, rites and rituals of lent. This is why we begin with signing ourselves with the ash on our foreheads not only to remind us that we are dust and into dust we shall return, but also as a sign calling us of our inner conversion and repentance, and to proclaim our communion with other Christians who, sinful like us, are seeking an interior conversion this Lenten season. This can only be done when we rend our humble and contrite hearts and allow God to transform us. Let us humbly echo the psalm response today, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned,” and wear our ashes humbly as a visible sign that we follow Jesus and that we are deeply sorry and remorseful for all the sins we have committed and are pledging internal conversion.
With the same humble and contrite heart, and in secrecy with God alone, we are invited to practice the three pillars of lent, that is, fasting, prayer and almsgiving and above all repentance or penitence. Any attempt to build a spiritual life that neglects the pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving is building on sand. Prayer purifies our intentions and relates all we do to God. Fasting detaches us from our comfort and from ourselves. Almsgiving reflects our brotherhood with the poor of Jesus’ family and reminds us that our true wealth is not in things, but in the love of God. We all need to do a reality check on our spiritual lives to make sure we are committed to prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
For these bear us fruits spiritually, Jesus is severe in criticizing the hypocrites who parade their works before others to get attention. Such parades are of no use in pleasing God or making up for our sins; they only add to our sinfulness. He encourages us to pray in private, to fast and give alms in secret, without calling the attention of others to what we are doing. In this way we can be sure we are doing all for love of God and not for love of self. Those who make an outward show of piety or generosity “have already received their reward” in this world, and they store up no treasure in heaven. Let us work silently and discreetly, with no other intention but pleasing God alone.
Today reflect and examine yourself and above all ask yourself: Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude which stems from humility, and which moves us to do acts of charity, good works only from our hearts and with deep humility. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2). As you begin this holy season of testing and preparation, ask the Lord Jesus for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit so that you may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in your life. Rend your heart not your garments.
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, thank you for this time of prayer with you, and for clearly enumerating what will be best for me during this Lent. When I look at my face in the mirror and see the ashes on my forehead, I am reminded of my mortality, and that everything I have is an unmerited gift from you. Please know that I am grateful to you for my very existence and please my Lord may your grace guide me this Lenten period to rend my heart not my garments. Amen
Be blessed.
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