COLLECT: “GRANT, O LORD, THAT WE MAY BEGIN WITH HOLY FASTING THIS CAMPAIGN OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE, SO THAT, AS WE TAKE UP BATTLE AGAINST SPIRITUAL EVILS, WE MAY BE ARMED WITH WEAPONS OF SELF-RESTRAINT. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Joel 2:12-18; Ps 50:3-6,12-14,17; 2Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6,16-18.
“YOU MUST BE PERFECT JUST AS YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT”/“BE HOLY BECAUSE I AM HOLY” (Mt 5:48; 1 PT 1:16).
Once again, we begin our usual annual spiritual exercise of the Lenten Season with ASH WEDNESDAY. It is God’s own grace-filled season, a season of renewal and blessing. Sin is a sickness and deadly, which has no cure anywhere and no drug in any pharmacy for us to acquire to heal us. In fact, sinful sicknesses have no human Physician or Doctor to cure. The only Doctor, therapist and healer of this type of sickness is God through his Son Jesus Christ. He alone can cleanse our souls of sin, renew us from what sin has sordid and refresh us in his spirit.
During this season of Lent, God invites all of us to turn to him while there is still time. This is one of his golden and great opportunities given to us to come back to him. Time is running out for us, for we do not know when our life will end in the wicked hands of death in this temporal world. Therefore, what we should do as Christians should be done during this special season with greater care and devotion as a fulfilment of our Lenten fast, not simply merely by ABSTINENCE FROM FOOD AND DRINK ONLY, BUT ABOVE ALL BY THE RENUNCIATION OF SIN.
In the Book of Joel (Jl 2:12-18), deep remorse was often shown for sins committed, by tearing one’s clothes. But this was only an outward show and God does not want an outward display of penitence without any corresponding true and genuine inward repentance.
Therefore, during this Lenten Season, we are cautioned and encouraged to make sure that our attitude towards God and neighbour is correct and right. Our outward actions should be a true reflection of what is deep down in our hearts: no pretentious and hypocritical shows and actions, especially of only abstaining from certain foods and drink, but continuing to indulge in sinful thoughts, words and actions.
During this season of Lent, God wants us to be “more eagerly intent in prayer and on the works of charity” through ALMSGIVING. We are encouraged to ‘renew and purify our hearts, and to free ourselves from disordered affections to deal with the things of this passing world as to hold rather to the things that eternally endure’. God wants us to “humble our sinful pride, contribute to the feeding of the poor. We are to imitate God in his kindness. We are also encouraged to fast from hurting words, from sadness, anger, pessimism, worries, complaints, pressures, bitterness, selfishness and grudges. Instead of these sinful acts, we are to say kind words to people, be appreciative and grateful to God and people, be patient with them, we are to live in hope, trust in God, and live the spirit of simplicity. We are also to be prayerful, live in joy, have compassion on others, and be reconciled to God and with others.
My dear friend, let each of us identify an area of personal sinful deed as our Lenten Observance, feel deeply sorry for this and approach Jesus the Great Healer in faith for healing. ‘Let us rend our hearts, not our garments, and return to the Lord, our God’. Let us be confident that he assures us all that no matter the sin, even if it is as hot and blazing as fire or furnace, it will cool down to ‘ASHES’ (one symbolism of the ashes we use on Ash Wednesday). God is ready to forgive and heal (quench the fire of sin between us) on condition that we come to him without pretence in repentance.
It must be noted that what God wants is inner and interior renewal and transformation. He always looks at the heart, the inner self and not the externals. Therefore in this season of Lent, I am urged, and you as well, to identify an area of sinful deed and fast and abstain from practising it. If this is sincerely done, automatically, my external deeds will please God and neighbour. Yes, and God would be pleased with me and bless me at the end of the Lenten Season, rather than if I only go by and observe what the Law prescribes as a way of fasting. Let each of us try. I pray for you and for myself during this season of renewal, healing and God’s abundant blessings, that God may touch us personally as his children, transform and renew us and grant each of us our hearts’ desires. Stay blessed by the Merciful Lord and may you have a fruitful and blissful Lenten Season.
Today is Ash Wednesday. It is a day of FASTING and ABSTINENCE. Do something good for someone in your family, workplace, Church, or political party. Also, present or drop what you have not spent today in the Lenten Box for the poor and the needy. Remember to go the Way of the Cross on Fridays, prayerfully meditating on the 14 Stations of it.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, WEDNESDAY, ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: ‘THE RESURRECTION, THE ASCENSION, THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ASSUMPTION, AND THE CORONATION’. (WE PRAY FAITH, HOPE, LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH AND TRUST IN MARY’S INTERCESSION) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “POUR OUT A SPIRIT OF COMPUNCTION, O GOD, ON THOSE WHO BOW BEFORE YOUR MAJESTY, AND BY YOUR MERCY MAY THEY MERIT THE REWARDS YOU PROMISE TO THOSE WHO DO PENANCE. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com
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