Ash Wednesday, Year B
Joel 2:12-18
Ps. 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
“Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”
The invitation of Lent is to experience metanoia, that is, conversion, a return, a change of mind and heart. What we do to facilitate this movement within our spirits is not the most important thing. Rather, we must truly change. We must learn to see things differently, to discover a new way of being in relation to God and to one another. This must become a real transformation, not mere lip service or superficial behavior.
Ash Wednesday, in a small way, allows us to remember the days of public penance in the life of the church. All who are willing to admit to being sinners may participate. There is no requirement to have “first ashes” or any special training in doctrine and dogma. All may go forward, baptized and unbaptized, Catholic or not, young and old. “Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; father the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast. . … ”
The minister of the blessed ashes says either, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Looking toward the future, we are called to open our minds and hearts to God’s mercy, to receive it and live it. Or, the suggestion made is for us to remember where we have come from and that we are not able to live by our own power. These expressions inspire us to begin our Lent with an acknowledgement of our need for God.
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the practices of Lent. They are the usual stuff of Christian life, but at this time, we are called to live them more fully. Some have traditionally focused on “giving up” something for Lent, a way of fasting. To be truly engaged in the season, we must allow all three practices to influence how we choose to live “this holy season.”
In this year of Eucharistic Revival, it may be helpful to center our prayer on our relationship to the Eucharist. Attending Mass every Sunday is the foundation. Why not consider going to Mass daily, at least one more day of the week, if not every day? In addition to Stations of the Cross and Lenten Penance services, we can spend more time in silence in the Presence of our Eucharistic Lord, participating in Adoration or making visits to the Lord in the tabernacle.
We may choose to “give up” not just some food that we enjoy, but other activities that, while not harmful in themselves, may still take up too much of our time and hold us back from real encounter with the Lord and with our brothers and sisters. Children especially realize how less time spent on using electronic devices may be a real Lenten penance that frees us from attachments that have creeped up on us. Giving up television and movies rather than continuing to be influenced by the pervasive culture that is far from Christian ways of thinking may help to purify our minds and hearts to think with the Church and deepen our faith in the Lord.
Sacrifice of time, in addition to making financial contributions through Rice Bowl or St. Vincent de Paul, is a real commitment to live the Gospel. To practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy is a gift of self to God that opens us to what He offers us at Easter.
May we persevere together in the holy journey of Lent. Let us pray, fast and give alms. God will surely pour out His mercy on us.
