Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 26, 2020
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Psalm: Ps 50:3-6. 12-14. 17. "Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel Acclamation: cf Ps 94:8
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18
Homily
Blessing and Distribution of Ashes
Distribution of Ashes
Song
Prayer of the Faithful
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock vector ID: 590506187. Banner with bowl with ashes of some palm branches that represents the beginning of the Lent on Ash Wednesday.By PenWin
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Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Ash Wednesday - Wednesday, February 26, 2020 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-208-ash-wednesday-2020/s-EVwqs (EPISODE: 206)
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PROLOGUE
We begin today the great season of Lent. Which is a season of six-and-a-half weeks' length, which is modeled on the forty days in the wilderness, with prayer and fasting, that Our Lord undertook, prior to beginning his public ministry. The Lenten season is slightly longer than forty days as it does not include the weekends, largely because every Sunday is considered a little-Easter in itself. Lent is marked by a spirit of additional prayer, penance and fasting and acts of charity. It is a wonderful season of renewal and growth as we prepare for the great feast of Easter.
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Ash Wednesday is neither a Sunday nor a holy day of obligation,
Yet churches across Australia and the world are often packed. Why is this day and its ceremony so important and popular with so many? ... whether they be Catholic or not... since anyone who wants can come forward to receive the ashes... I believe it is because we want to be marked with ashes as a sign of repentance and new beginnings, and of recognizing our real need for God's generous love, grace and mercy in our lives.
The ashes are made from the palm leaves used on Palm Sunday, the previous year.
These ashes, then, are the product of a "death" - in the sense that these dead palm branches, having been used as such a powerful symbol in Palm Sunday, have been dried out and burned and turned into a fine powder of ash. We use this sign of death at the beginning of Lent to mark our journey from death toward a new life.
When we think about Lent, we generally think in terms of giving something up - which is a kind of 'dying' to self.
But the readings for today suggest to us that merely 'giving up' something cannot be an end in itself.
Lent is about beginnings,m about allowing God to help us to :
1. Come to new life,
2. Deepen our relationship with God and others, and
3. Transform who we are and how we live.
Why do we perform Lenten deeds of penance (alms-giving, prayer, fasting)?
Not for the passing reward of public acclaim, but for the everlasting reward of God's transforming grace (see second reading).
Our penance is thus "rewarded" by a deeper relationship with God and each other that comes from returning to God with our whole heart (see first reading). And the reward is given now.
One an anonymous writer once described this Lenten time by saying:
LET TODAY BE THE END OF WHO WE HAVE BEEN AND THE BEGINNING OF WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO BECOME.
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POPE FRANCIS has been attributed to the following SUGGESTIONS FOR FASTING!
It is never too late to give something up for Lent.
Nor is there a rule that prevents you from changing your fasting objects during Lent.
And so, if you want to fast this Lent:
Fast from hurting words and say kind words
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude
Fast from anger and be filled with patience
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope
Fast from worries and trust in God
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity
Fast from pressures and be prayerful
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others
Fast from grudges and be reconciled
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen
{Attributed to Pope Francis}.
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Back in 2011, I was on a pilgrimage, in the desert region in what is now the country of Jordan. I saw and touched the waters of the Jordan river where John the Baptist was baptizing…. and it was a profound moment of reflection and faith.
This Gospel reminds me that, after Jesus was baptized, the voice of his Heavenly Father said… "this is my son, my beloved…. I am well pleased with him… listen to him…."…. So, what did Jesus do next…. he had just received the most perfect and most important and public affirmation from none other than God the Father, himself.... and in response, Our Lord Jesus felt absolutely impelled, by the Holy Spirit, to go immediately into the wilderness for 40 days….. This tells us that the love and favour of the Heavenly Father was more than sufficient for everything Our Lord truly needed. …… Since he knows he has that love and faith place in him, then Christ knew that fame, fortune, possessions or earthly influence meant nothing…….. And the wilderness… the desert reminded him of his total connection to his Father in heaven, and the need to reject anything that was not of his Father ….. If people were to listen to him.. he must speak ONLY that which comes from his Father's will …. His father's word….. this needed a deep time of preparation and prayer…. And letting go of everything, except that which lasts forever…….
Love, given freely without expectation,
Kindness and mercy, without expectation of return….
Acts of charity not for recognition or approval but for the sake love alone…..
Random acts of kindness for which no one will ever know we are the instigators. (setting up a pattern not only for the 40 days of Lent but for every day of our lives after that....)
Lent is a time of renewal to deepen that extraordinary movement of the heart ever-closer towards God. Moving deeper into the Love of God which is its own reward.... Where we seek no other reward but to love God and be very close to God... and closer to one another. For the glory and praise of God alone…
This time of prayer, penance and fasting is still a wonderful, joy-filled time of self-denial and making space for God… fostering positive habits for the year-round….
To mark the start of the Lenten season last year, Pope Francis prayed the traditional Stations of the Cross at St. Anselm Church in Rome. He said, "We will never move forward if we are heavily weighed down," he continued. "The poverty of the wood, the silence of the Lord, his loving self-emptying show us the necessity of a simpler life, free from anxiety about things."
"The small mark of ash, which we will receive, is a subtle yet real reminder that of the many things occupying our thoughts, that we chase after and worry about every day, nothing will remain," he stated. "Earthly realities fade away like dust in the wind," he said, reminding Catholics that no material possessions or wealth go with them past the grave.
"Lent is the time to free ourselves from the illusion of chasing after dust," he urged. "Lent is for rediscovering that we are created for the inextinguishable flame, not for ashes that immediately disappear; for God, not for the world; for the eternity of heaven, not for earthly deceit; for the freedom of the children of God, not for slavery to things."
"We should ask ourselves today: Where do I stand? Do I live for fire or for ash?"
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
+ Quotes from the commentary section in : "Liturgia" © Copyright Liturgy Brisbane 2020.
Pope Francis on giving up for Lent,,... similar in theme to this message: https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/03/give-up-gossiping-for-lent-pope-suggests/
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed stock vector ID: 590506187. Banner with a bowl with ashes of some palm branches that represents the beginning of the Lent on Ash Wednesday. By PenWin
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address: paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, February 26, 2020) (EPISODE: 206 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{Goodness and faithfulness to you all}}
No penitential rite, ashes after Homily replaces this.
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Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
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Preface: Lent III
Eucharist Prayer II
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Communion side. pwk: LH
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{my heartfelt thanks for your participation in this time of reflection, prayer and praise.}
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).
{Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The ….Gloria, copyright 2011 ccwatershed.org. }
"Have Mercy" Lenten theme, words inspired by Psalm 50 (51). Music: written by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk 2020.
[ Production - KER - 2020]
May God bless and keep you.
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