Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 2, 2022
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.”
Today is yet another Ash Wednesday—that liturgical event in the first quarter of each year that surprisingly few Catholics ever miss. It is a day when we join with others to receive the blessing of the ashes as a reminder of whence we came and where we will go.
I first learned of the event and heard the seemingly macabre words spoken when I was a newly charged altar boy of about ten years old. For all of the casualness of the parishioners in line for their ashes, the repeated prayer gave me the impression of something solemn and sacred.
While I did not understand the words for several more Ash Wednesdays, it began to dawn on me the phrase offered a view of the future. I was in my teens before I began to think about what was truly intended. As even more years have passed from Ash Wednesday to Ash Wednesday, the words have garnered more meaning and have become woven into the intentions of my prayer life.
I have embraced, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” as a blessing imparted by the priest that speaks to our present and our future. The words lead us to think about the earthy limitations from whence we came and our spiritual progress toward salvation—leaving behind this dust of mortality and taking on immortality.
By itself, it is seemingly just another marker stating the obvious. We already know we are mortal, but if we ponder a bit more deeply, we will realize it is a blessing with the expectation of joining God in heaven one day.
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 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:
- 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.