1pm Mass - Wednesday 2 March (Ash Wednesday)

[Music] forty [Music] in tempted and yet undefined [Laughter] [Music] abstain with you watching onto prayer with you stronger [Music] flesh our spirits to [Music] we may not [Music] keep our savior [Music] [Music] friends is it's beginning of the season of lent here in melbourne as we gather today our hearts in a particular way are united with the people of ukraine in their terrible situation i welcome in a particular way my brother ukrainian catholic bishop in australia and whose cathedral is here in melbourne welcome also with me uh from ukraine or who have family in ukraine to all of you we unite in prayer lord of may the gift of peace uh to that troubled place at this moment we gather on this ash wednesday mindful that we are all sinners in need of the lord's mercy let us pray grant our god we may begin with holy this campaign of christ in the unity of the holy spirit one god forever a reading from the prophet joel now now it is the lord who speaks come back to me with all your heart fasting weeping mourning let your hearts be broken not your garments torn turn to the lord your god again for he is all tenderness and compassion [Music] slow to anger rich in graciousness and ready to relent who knows if he will not turn again will not relent will not leave a blessing as he passes oblation and libation for the lord your god sound the trumpet in zion order a fast proclaim a solemn assembly call the people together summon the community assemble the elders gather the children even the infants at the breast let the bridegroom leave his bedroom and the bride her alcove between vestibule and altar let the priests the ministers of the lord lament let them say spare your people lord do not make your heritage a thing of shame a byword for the nations why should it be said among the nations where is their god then the lord jealous on behalf of his land took pity on his people the word of the lord [Music] lord for we have sinned have mercy on me god in your kindness in your compassion blot out my offense all wash me more and more from my and cleanse me from my sins [Music] we have seen my offenses truly i know them my sin is always before me against you you alone have i sinned what is evil in your sight i have done [Music] for we have sinned [Music] up your heart create for me all god put a steadfast spirit within me do not cast me away from your presence nor deprive me of your holy [Music] o spirit for we have sinned give me again the joy of your help with the spirit of forever sustain me lord open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise [Music] for we have seen [Music] a reading from the second letter of saint paul to the corinthians we are ambassadors for christ it is as though god were appealing through us and the appeal that we make in christ's name is be reconciled to god for our sake god made the sinless one into sin so that in him we might become the goodness of god as his fellow workers we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of god that you have received for he says at the favorable time i have listened to you on the day of salvation i came to your help well now is the favorable time this is the day of salvation the word of the lord for you lord jesus christ [Music] praise to your lord jesus christ [Music] if today you hear his voice heart praise to you lord jesus christ [Music] [Laughter] [Music] the lord be with you [Music] a reading from the holy gospel according to matthew [Music] jesus said to his disciples be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice by doing this you will lose all reward from your father in heaven so when you give alarms do not have it trumpeted before you this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and the streets to win men's admiration i told you solemnly they have had their reward but when you give alarms your left hand must not know what your right is doing your aunt's giving must be secret and your father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you and when you pray do not imitate the hypocrites they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the streets corners for people to see them i told you solemnly they have had their reward but when you pray go to your private room and when you have shut your door pray to your father who is in the secret place and your father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you when you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting i told you solemnly they have had their reward but when you fast put oil on your head and wash your face so that no one will know you are fasting except your father who sees all that is done in secret and you father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you the gospel of the lord [Music] in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit glory be to jesus christ your grace dear priests deacons religious dear brothers and sisters in christ saint paul exhorts us today in second letter to corinthians that we are ambassadors of christ as if god were appealing through us we implore you on behalf of christ be reconciled to god these words are as important to us today as they were when saint paul wrote them we are called to be true ambassadors of god's love peace and mercy today the catholics of the latin church begin the lantern pilgrimage which is the yearly journey to the cross and ultimately to the empty tomb and the joy of the resurrection through which our hearts are renewed our faith made firm and our sins forgiven in most of the eastern churches we will begin this journey in one week's time last wednesday pope francis announced 2nd of march as day of prayer and fasting for peace in ukraine the holy father appealed to those with political responsibility to examine their consciousness seriously before god who is the god of peace and not of war who is the father of all not just of some who wants us to be brothers and not enemies i thank god that i have an opportunity to be here among you today and pray together for peace in ukraine as she faces the highest evil of war violence and hostility from an enemy who is dive to all pleas for peace and makes war against a peaceful neighbor ukraine who has done her no wrong and has only good will toward her ukraine is not russia's enemy please pray for ukraine as she passes through this terrible trial and suffering our life as christians is and is supposed to be a journey our life as christians is a spiritual sojourn which we tend to think of as a our personal journey a very private one which doesn't involve other much it just between me and god yet all of the imagery and prayers of the church portray the spiritual life as a community journeying together like israel did on its escape from egypt and as it wandered the desert for 40 years we read the spiritual journey of that community in the book of exodus and through most of the torah never was that a private journey for those involved but they experienced all of the events of salvation history as a community just as they experienced god as a community you and i are part of that same community we are traveling on a grand journey to the ultimate destination the kingdom of heaven like all journeys it can have moments that are orders or difficult at other times it might seem long and boring and at times intense or even exciting but it is meant to be experienced together as members of the body of christ from the moment we were baptized we became part of the body of christ we were baptized into christ into his body at no time are we ever a christian individual in isolation from the other members of god's household which is the church in the early church they taught one christian is no christian we can only practice the love that jesus taught if there are others around us for us to love and serve and who love and serve us likewise we begin great land as a community this is part of our journey together in which we especially think about our lord's words to take up our cross daily to deny ourselves and to follow him great land is a time that our holy church calls on each of us in his or her own way to do good deeds so let us ask ourselves what are the main good deeds the catechism of the catholic church teaches us that they are prayer fasting and charity the first of these is prayer our relationship with our lord god during land we are called to a deeper communication with god through prayer this is why the church asks us to dedicate more of our time to personal prayer you will notice that church services also are different in character they become longer and more penitential as the people stop to think about themselves and their lives the second is fasting this is a concern for oneself where everyone tries to review their life and change it for the better when we talk about land we imagine this to be a time when you abstain from one food or another to a certain degree this is true but what is more important is that we stop and look at ourselves and see what it is that we are dependent on you see fast serves the same purpose as prayer prayer gives us a chance to be with god and fast eliminates that on which we are dependent and that which keeps us from being with god so true fasting is not just what we deny ourselves but that which we try to get rid of since dependence bad habits etc the third is charity our attitude toward our neighbor we must not only see our neighbor but we must offer him our support the virtue of poverty reflects this very well in ukrainian the word for poverty is ubogestro which literally means who in war or with borders for god when a person finds himself with god he is not tied to material things charity reflects the virtue of poverty whether we are rich or not reached at all we should know how to share our wealth with those in need and wealth does not necessarily apply only to material wealth each of us can give of our time our heart and our understanding because just as there are many different kinds of wealth in life so also there are many different kinds of hunger in the world besides a physical hunger there is also a hunger for fairness a hunger for forgiveness a hunger for a kind word and none of these require money which some of us do not have let us stop to think of what god gave us his son who died on the cross for us this is real charity these three good deeds are a so-called triangle of our attitude toward god toward ourselves and toward others they are very important and form the basis of our christian lives in a sense lent must include fasting from something fine food bad habits selfish acts it also means that we fast with somebody we do not fast alone but join our brothers and sisters in the whole household of faith we fast together as a community in communion with one another our fasting is also a sign of things yet to come of wood which we can only perceive with the eye of faith therefore we fast for something we fast as we await the bridegroom of the church even christ our god whom we await with joyful expectation fasting devoid of charity and love for our neighbors without merciful love and kindness for the poor without genuine sacrifices for the good of the communities in which we live has absolutely no value at all precisely because such a fast ignores the fact that we are now members of the one body one household of faith which christ portrays with the price of his own blood saint john chrysostom teaches us how to be charitable he says during land people usually try to abstain from food particularly meat and at this time people spend less money for food than they do while not fasting so we need to take the sum of money that we spend for food throughout the year while not fasting subtract from it the sum that we spent during land and give this to the poor land is the time when we abstain from something and perform good deeds may the reading from today's gospel open before us as a path leading to the resurrection i ask you then dear brothers and sisters not to forget the suffering land of ukraine my homeland which now passes through terrifying and dark days please remember ukraine and her people in your prayers this land that peace justice and prosperity may come to her and that all wars hostilities and suffering may cease also i ask you to pray sincerely for the conversion of russia as our lady requested at fatima over 100 years ago wisely did the prophet david say put not your trust in princes or in the sons of man but we as christians put our trust in god from whom we receive salvation peace and forgiveness of our sins amen christ let us humbly ask god our father that he will be pleased to bless with the abundance of his grace these ashes which we put on our heads in penitence who have moved by acts of humility and resp this to works of penance led merciful ear to our prayers and in your kindness pour out the great on your servants who are marked with these ashes that they will that as they follow the letters they may be worthy to come to celebrate history of your son through christ our lord amen you might get the other priest to line up and all he may come forward so so of lent has begun the sign of the blessing stashes invites us to respond to the god who calls us to come back to him with all our heart let us begin before the father by desire renewal season of lent we as a church may join christ in his act of sacrifice let us pray to the lord r lord hear our prayer that we may discipline ourselves by fasting and self-denial let us pray to the lord lord hear our prayer that we may not close our eyes to the needs of the poor by practical arms giving and concrete generosity let us pray to the lord that we may seek the sacrament of penance especially in this season of grace and renewal let us pray to the lord we pray for the safety of those in danger of armed conflict in ukraine comfort the fearful and strengthen the weak o lord and hold your embrace in all those who face suffering and oppression let us pray to the lord that we may show special care for the sick and those abandoned by society let us pray to the lord god of mercy and compassion look upon the petitions of penitent people may the ashes we receive today truly symbolize our commitment to do your will i self-denial express our desire to die to self that we may live your divine life in us more fully through christ our lord [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] so friends as we solemnly offer the annual sacrifice of the beginning of lent we entreat you o lord that through works of penance and charity we may turn again away from harmful pleasures and cleansed from our sins may become worthy to celebrate devotedly the passion of your son who lives and reigns forever and ever and with your spirit lift up your hearts we lead them up to the lord let us give thanks to the lord our god it is truly right and just our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks lord holy father almighty and eternal god for through the bodily fasting you restain our faults raise up our minds and best of virtue and its rewards through christ our lord angels praise your majesty dominions adore and powers tremble before you [Music] heaven and the virtues of heaven and the blessed seraphim worshiped together with exalted days may our voices we pray join with us in humble praise as we acclaim [Music] god of hosts heaven and earth are full of your glory [Music] blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord [Laughter] [Music] you are indeed holy oh lord the fount of all holiness make holy therefore these gifts we pray by sending down your spirit upon them like the dewfall so that they may become for us the body and blood of our lord jesus christ at the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his passion he took bread and giving thanks broke it and gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body which will be given up for you in a similar way when supper was ended he took the chalice and once more giving thanks he gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and drink from it for this is the chalice of my blood the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins do this in memory of me the mystery of faith save our savior of the world for by your cross and resurrection you have set us free [Music] therefore as we celebrate the memorial of his death and resurrection we offer you lord the bread of life and the chalice of salvation giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you humbly we pray that partaking of the body and blood of christ we may be gathered into one by the holy spirit remember lord your church spread throughout the world and bring her to the fullness of charity together with pete together with francis our pope and peter our bishop and me you unworthy bishop and all the clergy remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the help of the resurrection and all who have done in your mercy welcome them to the libraries of faith i have mercy on us all we pray that with the blessed virgin mary mother of god with the blessed joseph her spouse with the blessed apostles and all the saints who have pleased you throughout the ages we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life and may praise and glorify you through your son jesus christ through him and with him and in him oh god almighty father in the unity of the holy spirit [Music] all glory and honor is yours forever [Music] at our savior's command and for my divine teaching we dare to r [Music] [Music] thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day all day bread and forgive us our trespassers as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil deliver us lord we pray from every evil graciously grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from order stress as we await the blessed hope and coming ourselves of jesus christ [Music] lord jesus christ who said to your apostles peace i leave you my peace i give you look not on our sins but on the faith of your church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will who live and reign for ever and ever the peace of the lord be with you always let us offer each other a gift to that peace [Music] you take away the sins of the world [Music] lamb of god you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us [Music] lamb of god [Music] you take away the sins of the world [Music] behold the lamb of god behold him who takes away the sins of the world blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb lord i am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul shall be healed so uh oh [Music] [Music] body of christmas [Music] [Music] sinners we stand here before you our savior lord of all the nations [Music] save us [Music] hear us almighty lord show us your mercy sinners we stand before you [Music] [Music] free us in mercy from the sins that bind [Music] us almighty lord show us your mercy sinners we stand here before god of compassion lord of might and splendor graciously listen give our cries touch us and heal us where our sins have wounded us almighty lord show us your mercy we stand here before you humbly converse stripped of illusions pardon lord jesus blows your [Music] us almighty lord show us your mercy sinners we stand here before you you were led to slaughter by sinners when they brought false witness keep from damning close your death [Music] lord show us your mercy sinners we stand here for you [Music] jesus [Music] lord of all the nations christ our redeemer give our praise we spare us and save us comfort us in sorry [Music] us almighty lord show us your mercy [Music] sinners we stand here for you [Music] let us pray may the sacrament we have received nourish us o lord that our lenten fast may be pleasing to you and be for us a healing remedy through christ our lord among us today it's an honor to uh our latin church that you to all of your people your priests and people that have gathered here with us today to uh if i may offer my own prayer and support to you and solidarity in this terrible time that your homeland is in at this time please be short of our i look forward to joining you at saint peter's and paul's cathedral this evening for prayer the lord pour out oh god a spirit of compunction on those who bow before your majesty and by your mercy may they merit the rewards you promised to those who do penance through christ our lord may almighty god bless you all the father the son and the holy spirit go in peace [Music] [Music] return to god with all your heart the source of grace and mercy come seek the tender faithfulness of god now the time of grace has come the day of salvation come return to god with all your heart the source of grace and mercy come seek the tender faithfulness of god i will take your heart of stone and place a heart within you the heart of compassion and love return to god with all your heart and source of grace and mercy come seek the tender faithfulness of god if you'll break the chains of oppression if you set the prisoner free if you share your bread with angry give protection to the lost give a shelter [Music] shall break like the dawn you

Channel: Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

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Id: FIsYrONtA_E

Length: 74min 15sec (4455 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 01 2022