ASH WEDNESDAY
Psalter: Week 4 / (Violet)
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 & 17
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1st Reading: Jl 2:12-18
Yahweh says, “Yet even now, return to me with your whole heart; with fasting, weeping and mourning. Rend your heart, not your garment. Return to Yahweh, your God—gracious and compassionate.”
Yahweh is slow to anger, full of kind ness, and he repents of having punished.
Who knows? Probably he will relent once more, and spare some part of the harvest, from which we may bring sacred offerings to Yahweh, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly.Gather the people, sanctify the community, bring together the elders, even the children and infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his bed, and the bride her room.
Between the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, Yahweh’s ministers, weep and say: Spare your people, Yahweh. Do not humble them or make them an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the people: Where is their God? Yahweh has become jealous for his land; he has had pity on his people.
2nd Reading: 2 Cor 5:20—6:2
So we present ourselves as ambassadors, in the name of Christ, as if God, himself, makes an appeal to you, through us. Let God reconcile you; this, we ask you, in the name of Christ. He had no sin, but God made him bear our sin, so, that, in him, we might share the holiness of God.
Being God’s helpers, we beg you: let it not be in vain, that you received this grace of God. Scripture says: At the favorable time I listened to you, on the day of salvation I helped you. This is the favorable time, this is the day of salvation.
Gospel: Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples, “Be careful not to make a show of your good deeds before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be noticed in the synagogues and in the streets, in order to be praised by people. I assure you, they have their reward.
“If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that our gift remains really secret. Your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.
“When you pray, do not be like those who want to be noticed. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners, in order to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have their reward. When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will re ward you.
“When you fast, do not put on a miserable face, as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so that people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father, who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.“
REFLECTION:
Return to the Lord
“Hiram sa Diyos ang aking buhay“ is a title of a beautiful song that reminds us of a fundamental truth. The period of “LENT“ is a good time to remember this truth. When, therefore, we receive the ashes today the priest tells us “Remember man that you are dust and to dust you shall return.“ Life has been “lent“ to us, and we are one day to return that life to the Author of all Life, God!
When we do return that “hiram na buhay“ we have to return it with “interest,“ that is, with “value added“ in the form of good we have done. In our Judaic tradition that takes the form of our classic Lenten practices–prayer, almsgiving, and sacrifice. This Lenten season is precisely a season of grace because with these Lenten practices we make God central of our lives, we remember the poor, and we make atonement for our sins.
May this season of grace be truly for us all the occasion for a “pagbabalik loob sa Diyos“ as we spend more time, not in shopping but in praying, more time spending for the poor and the needy than for our own comfort and leisure, and more time fasting rather than feasting!
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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