Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-09-05, Ash Wednesday

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 02-09-05 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

February 9, 2005
Ash Wednesday

Psalm: Wednesday 9

Reading I
Jl 2:12-18

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.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, "Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?'"

Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.


Reading II
2 Cor 5:20–6:2

Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:

In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.


Gospel
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18

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."

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For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

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Alleluia Ping!

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Lent 2005, Prayer, Reflection, Action for All

Reflections for Lent: February 6 -- March 27, 2005

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Ash Wednesday

[Salvation]

From: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

The Ministry of Reconciliation (Continuation)

---

[20] So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through
us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [21] For
our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.

St Paul, a True Servant of Christ

---

[1] Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the
grace of God in vain. [2] For he says, "At the acceptable time I have
listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now
is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

---

Commentary:

18-21. The reconciliation of mankind with God--whose friendship we lost
through original sin--has been brought about by Christ's death on the
cross. Jesus, who is like men in all things "yet without sinning" (Heb
4:14), bore the sins of men (cf. Is 53:4-12) and offered himself on the
cross as an atoning sacrifice for all those sins (cf. 1 Pet 2:22-25),
thereby reconciling men to God; through this sacrifice we became the
righteousness of God, that is, we are justified, made just in God's
sight (cf. Rom 1:17; 3:24-26 and notes). The Church reminds us of this
in the rite of sacramental absolution: "God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his son has reconciled the world
to himself [...]."

Our Lord entrusted the Apostles with this ministry of reconciliation
(v. 18), this "message of reconciliation" (v. 19), to pass it on to all
men: elsewhere in the New Testament it is described as the "message of
salvation" (Acts 13:26), the "word of grace" (Acts 14:3; 20:32), the
"word of life" ( 1 Jn 1: 1). Thus, the Apostles were our Lord's
ambassadors to men, to whom St Paul addresses a pressing call: "be
reconciled to God", that is, apply to yourselves the reconciliation
obtained by Jesus Christ--which is done mainly through the sacraments
of Baptism and Penance. "The Lord Jesus instituted in his Church the
sacrament of Penance, so that those who have committed sins after
Baptism might be reconciled with God, whom they have offended, and with
the Church itself whom they have injured" (John Paul II, "Aperite
Portas", 5).

21. "He made him to be sin": obviously St Paul does not mean that
Christ was guilty of sin; he does not say "to be a sinner" but "to be
sin". "Christ had no sin," St Augustine says; "he bore sins, but he did
not commit them" ("Enarrationes in Psalmos", 68, 1, 10).

According to the rite of atoning sacrifices (cf. Lev 4:24; 5:9; Num
19:9; Mic 6:7; Ps 40:7) the word "sin", corresponding to the Hebrew
"asam", refers to the actual act of sacrifice or to the victim being
offered. Therefore, this phrase means "he made him a victim for sin" or
"a sacrifice for sin". it should be remembered that in the Old
Testament nothing unclean or blemished could be offered to God; the
offering of an unblemished animal obtained God's pardon for the
transgression which one wanted to expiate. Since Jesus was the most
perfect of victims offered for us, he made full atonement for all sins.
In the Letter to the Hebrews, when comparing Christ's sacrifice with
that of the priests of the Old Testament, it is expressly stated that
"every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same
sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered
for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand
of God, then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his
feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who
are sanctified" (Heb 10:11-14).

This concentrated sentence also echoes the Isaiah prophecy about the
sacrifice of the Servant of Yahweh; Christ, the head of the human race,
makes men sharers in the grace and glory he achieved through his
sufferings: "upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with
his stripes we are healed" (Is 53:5).

Jesus Christ, burdened with our sins and offering himself on the cross
as a sacrifice for them, brought about the Redemption: the Redemption
is the supreme example both of God's justice--which requires atonement
befitting the offense--and of his mercy, that mercy which makes him
love the world so much that "he gave his only Son" (Jn 3:16). "In the
Passion and Death of Christ--in the fact that the Father did not spare
his own Son, but 'for our sake made him sin'--absolute justice is
expressed, for Christ undergoes the Passion and Cross because of the
sins of humanity. This constitutes even a 'superabundance' of justice,
for the sins of man are 'compensated for' by the sacrifice of the
Man-God. Nevertheless, this justice, which is properly justice 'to
God's measure', springs completely from love, from the love of the
Father and of the Son, and completely bears fruit in love. Precisely
for this reason the divine justice revealed in the Cross of Christ is
'to God's measure', because it springs from love and is accomplished in
love, producing fruits of salvation. The divine dimension of redemption
is put into effect not only by bringing justice to bear upon sin, but
also by restoring to love that creative power in man thanks to which he
once more has access to the fullness of life and holiness that come
from God. In this way, redemption involves the revelation of mercy in
its fullness" (John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia", 7).

1-10. St Paul concludes his long defense of his apostolic ministry (cf.
3:1-6:10) by saying that he has always tried to act as a worthy servant
of God. First he calls on the Corinthians to have a sense of
responsibility so that the grace of God be not ineffective in them (vv.
1-2), and then he briefly describes the afflictions this ministry has
meant for him. Earlier, he touched on this subject (cf. 4:7-12), and he
will deal with it again in 11:23-33.

1-2. St Paul exhorts the faithful not to accept the grace of God in
vain-which would happen if they did not cultivate the faith and initial
grace they received in Baptism and if they neglected the graces which
God continues to send them. This exhortation is valid for all
Christians: "We receive the grace of God in vain", St Francis de Sales
points out, "when we receive it at the gate of our heart, without
allowing it to enter: we receive it without receiving it; we receive it
without fruit, since there is no use in feeling the inspiration if one
does not consent unto it. And just as the sick man who has the medicine
in his hands, if he takes only part of it, will only partially benefit
from it, so too, when God sends a great and mighty inspiration to move
us to embrace his love, if we do not avail of it in its entirety, we
shall benefit from it only partially" ("Treatise on the Love of God",
book 2, chap. 11).

The Apostle urges them to cultivate the grace they have been given,
using a quotation from Isaiah (49:8): the right time has come, the day
of salvation. His words recall our Lord's preaching in the synagogue of
Nazareth (cf. Lk 4:16-21).

The "acceptable time" will last until Christ comes in glory at the end
of the world (in the life of the individual, it will last until the
hour of his death); until then, every day is "the day of salvation":
"'Ecce none dies salutis', the day of salvation is here before us. The
call of the good shepherd has reached us: '"ego vocavi te nomine too",
I have called you by name' (Is 43:1). Since love repays love, we must
reply: '"ecce ego quia vocasti me", Here I am, for you called me'
(1 Sam 3:5) [...]. I will be converted, I will turn again to the Lord
and love him as he wants to be loved" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing
By", 59).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

An Upright Intention in Almsgiving, Prayer and Fasting

---

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [1] "Beware of practising your piety
before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no
reward from your Father who is in Heaven.

[2] "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be
praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. [3] But
when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, [4] so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you.

[5] "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they
love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners,
that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their
reward. [6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and
pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you.

[16] "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for
they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.
Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. [17] But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face, [18] that your fasting may not be
seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you."

---

Commentary:

1-18. "Piety", here, means good works (cf. note on Matthew 5:6). Our
Lord is indicating the kind of spirit in which we should do acts of
personal piety. Almsgiving, fasting and prayer were the basic forms
taken by personal piety among the chosen people--which is why Jesus
refers to these three subjects. With complete authority He teaches
that true piety must be practised with an upright intention, in the
presence of God and without any ostentation. Piety practised in this
way implies exercising our faith in God who sees us--and also in the
safe knowledge that He will reward those who are sincerely devout.

5-6. Following the teaching of Jesus, the Church has always taught us
to pray even when we were infants. By saying "you" (singular) our Lord
is stating quite unequivocally the need for personal prayer--relating
as child to Father, alone with God.

Public prayer, for which Christ's faithful assemble together, is
something necessary and holy; but it should never displace obedience to
this clear commandment of our Lord: "When you pray, go into your room
and shut the door and pray to your Father".

The Second Vatican Council reminds us of the teaching and practice of
the Church in its liturgy, which is "the summit toward which the
activity of the Church is directed; it is also the fount from which all
her power flows [...]. The spiritual life, however, is not limited
solely to participation in the liturgy. The Christian is indeed called
to pray with others, but he must also enter into his bedroom to pray to
his Father in secret; furthermore, according to the teaching of the
Apostle, he must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)"
("Sacrosanctum Concilium", 10 and 12).

A soul who really puts his Christian faith into practice realizes that
he needs frequently to get away and pray alone to his Father, God.
Jesus, who gives us this teaching about prayer, practised it during His
own life on earth: the holy Gospel reports that He often went apart to
pray on His own: "At times He spent the whole night in an intimate
conversation with His Father. The Apostles were filled with love when
they saw Christ pray" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 119; cf.
Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; etc.). The Apostles followed the
Master's example, and so we see Peter going up to the rooftop of the house
to pray in private, and receiving a revelation (cf. Acts 10:9-16). "Our
life of prayer should also be based on some moments that are dedicated
exclusively to our conversation with God, moments of silent dialogue"
("ibid", 119).

16-18. Starting from the traditional practice of fasting, our Lord
tells us the spirit in which we should exercise mortification of our
senses: we should do so without ostentation, avoiding praise,
discreetly; that way Jesus' words will not apply to us: "they have
their reward"; it would have been a very bad deal. "The world admires
only spectacular sacrifice, because it does not realize the value of
sacrifice that is hidden and silent" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 185).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

Some wonderful threads to read and bump today:

 

The Holy Season of Lent -- Fast and Abstinence

The Holy Season of Lent -- The Stations of the Cross

[Suffering] His Pain Like Mine

Lent and Fasting

Ash Wednesday

All About Lent

Kids and Holiness: Making Lent Meaningful to Children

Mardi Gras' Catholic Roots [Shrove Tuesday]

[Salvation]

Wednesday, February 9, 2005
Ash Wednesday

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Joel 2:12-18 Psalm 51:3-6, 12-14, 17 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Turn away from sin, and be faithful to the Gospel.  -- Ash Wednesday

[Ciexyz]

Let us return to the Lord with our whole hearts, with humble hearts. It is good to kneel at the foot of His cross.

[Salvation]

The Three Practices of Lent: Praying, Fasting. Almsgiving

[Ciexyz]

Day One of many delicious fish fry Fridays to come. Praises offered for these wonderful fundraisers. I go for the baked fish myself, with cole slaw, mac & cheese, a roll and ice cream.

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	God's Love-Power Can Change Your Heart
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Wednesday, February 9, 2005

Joel 2:12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

The human heart is more complex than any computer, and none of us ever fully understands its reasons and its choices. But we have to try, with God's help, lest we let our hearts lead us, all unawares, to places whose dangers are invisible to us. That testing of the heart and reorienting of the heart is what Lent is about.

In today's Gospel, Matthew reminds us of one of the hazards that every religious person faces: practicing our faith and doing good for others just to be seen and admired. It's a trap that's so easy to fall into, and it's such a waste of time and joy. The alternative is ever so much more satisfying because our hearts know that it is true.

Only a heart that sees that it is loved by God will have in it the astonished gratitude that impels it to thank God in word and deed. True thankfulness will blossom into prayer, into sharing with others what God has shared with us, and into striving to reshape our hearts into God's likeness. The good deeds will come naturally from deep inside, and what others see or don't see won't matter. This Lent, concentrate on God's goodness and generosity to you, so totally unearned and unmerited. Gratitude will tell your heart where you need to go, and what needs to change. God's love-power has changed many hearts. Why not let His love-power change yours?

 

[Salvation]

 

 

A Voice in the Desert

 

 February 9, 2005   Ash Wednesday

Reading I (Joel 2:12-18)   Reading II (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2)

Gospel (St. Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18)

 Today, as we begin this holy season of Lent, we want to take careful stock of our own selves, our own sinfulness, our own weaknesses, the areas where we are away from the Lord. In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel, we are told that we are to proclaim a fast and gather the assembly and call out to the Lord. Saint Paul, in the second reading, says that it is as if God were appealing through him to be reconciled with the Lord. And Our Lord, in the Gospel reading, tells us that we have to fast and we have to pray. So as we begin this holy season, what we really need to look at is our spiritual lives. We need to ask ourselves about our own relationship with the Lord and the areas where that needs to be developed, what needs to get out of the way, and what needs to be added.  

If I might make a recommendation, along with whatever you have chosen to give up, may I recommend that you also add some time of prayer. Every single day, set aside time for prayer. Not a prayer as you are running out the door in the morning, not the “Morning Offering” that might be taped to the mirror in the bathroom, I am talking about sitting down and praying with the Lord, trying to go into your heart and uniting yourself there with Jesus Christ. If it is possible to be able to get to a church, especially an adoration chapel, that would be wonderful. If you cannot, set aside a place in your home that is specifically there for prayer. Set up a place where you might have a crucifix or some holy pictures, and have that place set aside as your place of prayer so that is the only thing you do in that specific place.  

And have a time set aside everyday for when you are going to pray; otherwise, knowing our human nature well enough, what we are going to do is to say, “I’ll get to it in a little while,” and a “little while” never comes because in a little while you will say, “I’ll pray in a little while.” And when that little while comes, you will say it again. Pretty soon, you are going to be in bed, saying, “Well, I’ll try again tomorrow.” Pretty soon, it is going to be Easter and you will not have even begun. What we need to do is make sure that we are setting this as an appointment with the Lord. If we had an appointment with a doctor, we would get there. We would cancel everything else and we would be there unless some kind of emergency arose. This is far greater than any doctor because this is the Doctor of your soul; this is the One Who wants to heal what is truly wrong in the very depths of our being and we need to make sure that we are in union with Him.  

This is the single most important thing in our lives, and tragically there are so many who do not do it, so very few Catholics who really take time to pray. This is the time now to make that resolution, not merely for the forty days, but using this time to lay the foundation for the rest of your life. For now, begin by just simply setting aside the time. Look at your day and figure out what time works well. When is it normally fairly quiet? Then carve out a chunk of time – a half-hour, an hour, whatever it might be – and spend that time with the Lord.  

You can take on whatever other penances you may have chosen, but what is most important is prayer. It is not enough to merely empty out the things that stand in the way; we need to fill those areas up. We need to fill them up with Christ. So as we look at ourselves and we look at the possibilities – we can fast, we need to get to Confession – we need to seek that reconciliation, but we need to pray. That is my recommendation. Whatever else we have chosen to do, all of the good things that we might be seeking to offer to Our Lord, the one thing that will be most pleasing to Our Lord is if we get rid of sin and seek union with Jesus Christ in the depths of our heart through prayer.

 *  This text was transcribed from the audio recording with minimal editing.

[Salvation]

And have a time set aside everyday for when you are going to pray; otherwise, knowing our human nature well enough, what we are going to do is to say, “I’ll get to it in a little while,” and a “little while” never comes because in a little while you will say, “I’ll pray in a little while.” And when that little while comes, you will say it again. Pretty soon, you are going to be in bed, saying, “Well, I’ll try again tomorrow.” Pretty soon, it is going to be Easter and you will not have even begun. What we need to do is make sure that we are setting this as an appointment with the Lord. If we had an appointment with a doctor, we would get there. We would cancel everything else and we would be there unless some kind of emergency arose. This is far greater than any doctor because this is the Doctor of your soul; this is the One Who wants to heal what is truly wrong in the very depths of our being and we need to make sure that we are in union with Him.

[wrathof59]

Why are you making us hungry on a day of fast? lol

Seriously, I'm looking for the NT quote where Christians are warned (and encouraged) about the naysayers and their attacks, I believe it's in the Epistles but can't put my finger on it, thanks in advance.

[Salvation]

Collect: Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent, make this day holy by our self-denial. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Recipes: » Baked Eggs » Dark Rye Bread » Herb Omelet III Activities: » A Two-Fold Theme: Baptism and Penance » Ash Wednesday » Ash Wednesday Pretzels: Fastenbrezel » Attende Domine - Hear, O Lord more » Examination of Conscience » Family Chart » Farewell to Alleluia » Lenten Alms Jar » Lenten Customs of the Russian Germans » Lenten Fasting Regulations » NOW Cross » Palm Burning Procession for Ash Wednesday » Personal Program for Lent » Pretzels for God: Lent and the Pretzel » Sorrow, Keystone for Lent » Spirit of Lent, The » The "Now Cross" » The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy » The Liturgy of Lent » The Mystery of Lent » The Precepts of the Church » The Springtime of Lent » Time for God » Tuesday-Before-Ash-Wednesday Procession » Value of Fasting, The » Why Ashes? » Why Fasting and Abstinence? » Why Forty Days? » Works of Lent, The » Stational Church, The less Prayers: » Prayer Before a Crucifix » Prayer from Ash Wednesday to Saturday » Prayer for the First Week of Lent » Way of the Cross more » To Keep A True Lent » Blessing and Distribution of Ashes less

February 09, 2005 Ash Wednesday Item Tools     store,    print,   email The time has now come in the Church year for the solemn observance of the great central act of history, the redemption of the human race by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the Roman Rite, the beginning of the forty days of penance is marked with the austere symbol of ashes which are used in today's liturgy. The use of ashes is a survival from an ancient rite according to which converted sinners submitted themselves to canonical penance. The Alleluia and the Gloria are suppressed until Easter. Abstinence from eating meat is to be observed on all Fridays during Lent. This applies to all persons 14 and older. The law of fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday applies to all persons 18 or older and younger than 59. Stational churches are the churches that are appointed for special morning and evening services during Lent, Easter and some other important days. The tradition started in order to strengthen the sense of community within the Church in Rome, as this system meant that the Holy Father would visit each part of the city and celebrate Mass with the congregation. The first stational church during Lent is St. Sabina at the Aventine. It was built in the 5th century, presumably at the site of the original Titulus Sabinae, a church in the home of Sabina who had been martyred c. 114. The tituli were the first parish churches in Rome. St Dominic lived in the adjacent monastery for a period soon before his death in 1221. Among other residents of the monastery were St Thomas Aquinas. Visit Churches of Rome and "Station Churches", a Lenten Journey by Fr. Bill for more information about stational churches. Ash Wednesday At the beginning of Lent, on Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed during Mass, after the homily. The blessed ashes are then "imposed" on the faithful as a sign of conversion, penance, fasting and human mortality. The ashes are blessed at least during the first Mass of the day, but they may also be imposed during all the Masses of the day, after the homily, and even outside the time of Mass to meet the needs of the faithful. Priests or deacons normally impart this sacramental, but instituted acolytes, other extraordinary ministers or designated lay people may be delegated to impart ashes, if the bishop judges that this is necessary. The ashes are made from the palms used at the previous Passion Sunday ceremonies. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. — Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy From the very early times the commemoration of the approach of Christ's passion and death was observed by a period of self-denial. St. Athanasius in the year 339 enjoined upon the people of Alexandria the 40 days' fast he saw practiced in Rome and elsewhere, "to the end that while all the world is fasting, we who are in Egypt should not become a laughing stock as the only people who do not fast but take our pleasure in those days." On Ash Wednesday in the early days, the Pope went barefoot to St. Sabina's in Rome "to begin with holy fasts the exercises of Christian warfare, that as we do battle with the spirits of evil, we may be protected by the help of self-denial." — Daily Missal of the Mystical Body Things to Do: Go with your family to receive ashes at Mass today. Leave them on your forehead as a witness to your faith. Here is a Lenten reflection on the meaning of the ashes on Ash Wednesday. If you have children, you may want to share this with them in terms that they can understand. Today parents should encourage their children to reflect upon what regular penances they will perform throughout this season of Lent. Ideally, each member of the family should choose his own personal penance as well as some good act that he will perform (daily spiritual reading, daily Mass, extra prayers, almsgiving, volunteer work, housecleaning, etc.), and the whole family may wish to give up one thing together (TV, movies, desserts) or do something extra (family rosary, Holy Hour, Lenten Alms Jar). Here are some ideas for a family Lenten program. The use of Sacrifice Beans may help children to keep track of their Lenten penances. Some families begin this activity (with undyed beans!) on Ash Wednesday and then use the collected beans to cook a penitential bean dish for Good Friday at the end of Lent. Here is a Lenten prayer that the family may pray every night from Ash Wednesday to the first Saturday in Lent, to turn the family's spiritual focus towards this holy season. Read the Holy Father's 2001 Ash Wednesday homily.

[Salvation]

A priest applies ash to the heads of hospital employees during a special mass in the chapel of the Policlinico Gemelli in Rome. Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II's continued hospitalization forced him to miss Ash Wednesday prayers for the first time in his 26-year papacy.

[fatima]

Salvation,Mass bump Ash Wednesday,blessings to all who read and post.

[Salvation]

Have a blessed Lent!

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Wednesday, February 09, 2005 Meditation Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 As we receive ashes on our foreheads today, we can imagine Jesus speaking to us “in secret,” inviting us to come with him into the desert for a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation. Over the course of the next forty days, we have a golden opportunity to learn from Jesus how to pray, how to grow in generosity, and how to be cleansed and set free from sin. Do you know the best way to learn from the Lord in the desert? Not just by doing the things we see him do in the desert—such as fasting and spending more time in prayer—but by doing them in the same spirit that he did. Jesus went into the desert out of a deep desire to please his Father and to embrace his Father’s plan with all his heart. He went in knowing that he would survive only as he kept his eyes fixed on his Father and not himself—only as he allowed his Father’s love to fill him, sustain him, and give him strength. Doing something because it’s “right” can be tricky. If our hearts are not in a position of humility and dependence on God, it can give us nothing more than the satisfaction that we have been obedient. By contrast, when we take on Jesus’ disposition of humble surrender, we don’t become satisfied; we become holy! Then, because we had shared in Jesus’ passion and death, we find ourselves on Easter Sunday sharing in his victory! Just as an athlete becomes stronger through practice, we too will become stronger in the Spirit as we practice the activities we are called to do during Lent: self-denial through fasting; generosity through almsgiving ; and prayer through emptying our hearts of self-concern. Now is the time to ask the Spirit to turn our obedience into acts of love. So come into the desert and watch what God can do! “Lord Jesus, you have called me into the desert to be with you. Help me to fix my eyes on the Father. Purify me, Lord, and give me the strength to stay close to you for the next forty days.”