Daily Gospel Reflection

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February 22, 2023

Ash Wednesday
Mt 6:1-6;16-18
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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.”

Reflection

Brian Diss ’07
Associate Vice President, University Relations
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“Did I post that on Instagram? What did everyone think of me? Did I get credit for that?”

So often in today’s society, we are pushed to lead lives that are on display at all times and to portray ourselves in a way that is both socially acceptable and affords us credit or recognition for the good things we do.

The perception of others–both those we know personally and those we don’t–often becomes the primary focus in all things we do and can blur the line between right and wrong. Our moral compass can fade in favor of public approval.

In today’s gospel, Jesus calls us to fight this very tendency to put our words and deeds on display. Rather than ensuring the good we do is seen and heard to win praise and acceptance, he calls us to do these things in private, maybe even going out of our way to ensure as few people as possible know what we have done.

And, when we struggle, he asks us to offer our suffering to him rather than to seek the sympathy of those around us. Jesus surely must know how hard that is in the days of social media!

Ash Wednesday tends to sneak up on me each year. Right when we’re removed
enough from the Christmas holiday, and our New Year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside, Jesus invites us, beginning in today’s readings, to recommit to him and his teachings through our prayers and deeds during the Lenten season.

This year, may we pursue these prayers and deeds in our hearts and minds, resisting the temptation to put them on display and instead offer them up to God, who should be the only one whose approval and recognition we truly seek.

Prayer

Br. Pablo Quan, C.S.C.

Lord Jesus Christ, you instructed your disciples not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them. May our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this Lent be motivated by a genuine desire to love and serve God and others. Amen.

Saint of the Day

Ash Wednesday

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 are 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:

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.