Daily Gospel Reflection
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February 17, 2021
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
In our gospel today, Jesus cautions his disciples not to worship like the hypocrites. These individuals blow trumpets, pray on street corners and neglect their appearances, but are focused more on themselves than glorifying God. In making their prayers and sacrifices known, they overlook their true purpose. As we begin Lent with these cautionary words from Jesus, a question comes to mind: ‘If we are called to practice our faith quietly, why is Lent so outwardly visible?’
During Lent, we are called to make sacrifices and acknowledge our need for a Savior. The sacrifices we practice and the ashes we receive allow us to be a witness to others and a witness to Christ’s sacrifice. However, we are called not simply to choose a sacrifice, practice it for 40 days, and then go back to life as usual. We are called to truly deepen our relationship with him.
The journey each of us is on within the confines of our own hearts is the subject of our gospel today. This relationship is not outwardly visible, yet it is the most integral aspect of Lent. If the sacrifice you have chosen to make this year is not one that will allow you to truly impact your relationship with God, I encourage you to ask yourself how you can use these 40 days to draw closer to him in the quiet, inner room of your heart. Choose instead to dedicate extra time for prayer and reflection, attend daily Mass, or reach out to a struggling friend. By doing this, we ensure that our sacrifices are not simply outward gestures, but an inner dedication to our relationship with God.
In this season of Lent, how can we change our routines and make time for the transformation of our relationship with Christ?
Prayer
My God, Our Father, we are tempted to do good to others from mixed motives. We want to be helpful; we want to be recognized and somehow rewarded. Let it be enough in our hearts to know we have tried to love you in whatever we do, whether in our hidden prayers for others or our kindness and service as well. We pray with the Church through Christ our Lord.
Saint of the Day
Today, Ash Wednesday, begins the season of Lent—the 40 days of preparation for Easter.
The word “Lent” comes from Old English and German words that describe spring and the lengthening of days. The practice of dedicating 40 days to prepare for Easter has been a practice of the Church since the fourth century. Before he met God and received the Ten Commandments, Moses spent 40 days in fasting and prayer. Jesus himself, before he began his public ministry, spent 40 days in prayer and fasting in the desert.
There are two purposes for this Lenten season of preparation. First, Easter is the greatest feast we have as Christians because it celebrates the new life that comes to us from the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Dedicating ourselves to preparing for this feast with self-denial and conversion of heart helps us experience Easter joy and new life more fully.
Second, Easter is the time when people who wish to join the Catholic faith are brought into the Church with baptism. The Church has always prescribed a time of preparation for baptism, and Lent is a special time for these people to get ready for that sacrament. For those of us who are already baptized, witnessing those who will be initiated in the faith reminds us of the need for continual renewal and conversion. We join them in solidarity and spend Lent seeking conversion so we are ready to renew our baptismal promises at Easter. (See our collection of stories about conversion here.)
Three practices have always defined the Lenten season of preparation: prayer, fasting and giving to the poor. Jesus speaks of these disciplines to his followers because they were pillars of Jewish practice. The three practices touch on all of the ways in which we relate: prayer is about our relationship with God; fasting is about our relationship with ourselves; and giving to the poor is about our relationship with others, especially those who are in need.
Catholics are accordingly encouraged to dedicate themselves to a regular practice of prayer and to make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Catholics also devote themselves in a special way to the poor by offering money, support, or time in service. Many Catholics also fast from some luxury or indulgence during this time. To find resources for your own Lenten journey, explore our past prayer and reflection opportunities:
- Lenten Perspectives: The Art of the Raclin Murphy Museum
- A Lenten Offering 2021
- A Lenten Offering 2020
- Lenten Holy Land Pilgrimage
- Journey through Lent with Art
The guidelines for fasting and abstinence that apply to all Catholics during Lent are simple: On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the faithful between the ages of 18 and 59 fast, which means they have only one full meal in the day and use smaller snacks to sustain their strength. On these days and all the other Fridays of Lent, Catholics abstain from meat.
The use of ashes on Ash Wednesday comes from an ancient rite that was used by converted sinners as an outward sign of their sorrow for their actions. The ashes come from the burning of palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday Mass, which begins Holy Week with a recounting of Jesus’ suffering and death. The sign of ashes connects the beginning of our Lenten practice of preparation with the suffering and death of Jesus, all in anticipation of the promise of new life that comes to us in the resurrection.
Ashes worn on the forehead is more than just an external act—it symbolizes our human frailty and mortality and reminds us of our need for God. As they are applied, we are told, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return,” or, “Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel.” Ashes remind us that the season of Lent is about renewal, conversion, and penance—that we are to put aside sin and to take on new lives of faithfulness.
As we begin Lent today with Ash Wednesday, let us be renewed by prayer, fasting, and giving to the poor.