My Sisters and Brothers:
Today, and as you know, with Ash Wednesday we once again begin the great and Holy Season of Lent. I always find it a little ironic on this day when ashes are smeared onto our foreheads, that Jesus admonishes us in the Gospel to “take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them,” and “when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting” (see Matthew 6:1, 17-18). He also says in the same Gospel “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” (see verse 6).
As we reflect on these words of Jesus, we should remember that the preaching style of Jesus often included hyperbolic statements that were meant to shock the sensibilities of those who heard him. When he exaggerated in this manner, he hoped to force his listeners into deep reflections about the realities they were living. He wanted them to examine not just whatever religious practices he may seem to have been criticizing; he also wanted them to look deep within, and to examine thoroughly the real substance of their faith and their actions. For example, it’s obvious Jesus didn’t expect his followers to always “pray in secret.” After all, if that were the case, then we wouldn’t be gathered in this church today as a praying community of faith; we wouldn’t then cherish our ancient Catholic rituals and practices that so symbolically draw us closer to love for God and for our neighbors. Jesus was most critical of the “hypocrites” who did what they did only “to win the praise of others” (see verse 2). And he warns us not to do the same.
In a special way during the Holy Season of Lent, we are challenged by our faith to pray, to fast, and to give alms. It would be difficult for us as social beings and as members of vibrant Catholic faith communities to do such things only as individuals, outside of the public square, and in ways that others would be unaware.
The point of Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel challenges each one of us to have deep faith rooted in our hearts, and not simply to follow shallow rituals, customs and practices that have no real substance or that are done simply for the purposes of self aggrandizement. In a similar vein, today’s first reading tells us to “rend our hearts and not our garments” (see Joel 2:13). In other words, if the actions of our faith are not rooted in the sentiments of our hearts and instead are only done for outward appearances, then they are completely useless. Again, such actions are completely useless.
And so as we receive ashes today, and commit ourselves during this time to renewed prayer, fasting and almsgiving, may we also put clearly into practice the demands of our faith. And may this faith be completely rooted in hearts that are overflowing with genuine faith.
We also recall today that these lifeless ashes, so demonstrative of death caused by sin, will be completely washed away when we complete our Lenten journey and arrive at joy of Easter and the promise of New Life!
Let us encourage each other by the way we embrace and practice our faith! My friends, I pray that the witness we give to others, especially when they see those ashes that have been smeared onto our foreheads, will always give testimony to the love of God that motivates every action of our lives!
Praise God! Friar Timothy
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