>> A READING FROM THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JOEL. EVEN NOW, SAYS THE LORD, RETURN TO ME WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, WITH FASTING, AND WEEPING, AND MOURNING; REND YOUR HEARTS, NOT YOUR GARMENTS, AND RETURN TO THE LORD, YOUR GOD. FOR GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL IS HE, SLOW TO ANGER, RICH IN KINDNESS, AND RELENTING IN PUNISHMENT. PERHAPS HE WILL AGAIN RELENT AND LEAVE BEHIND HIM A BLESSING, OFFERINGS AND LIBATIONS FOR THE LORD, YOUR GOD. BLOW THE TRUMPET IN ZION! PROCLAIM A FAST, CALL AN ASSEMBLY; GATHER THE PEOPLE, NOTIFY THE CONGREGATION; ASSEMBLE THE ELDERS, GATHER THE CHILDREN AND THE INFANTS AT THE BREAST; LET THE BRIDEGROOM QUIT HIS ROOM AND THE BRIDE HER CHAMBER. BETWEEN THE PORCH AND THE ALTAR LET THE PRIESTS, THE MINISTERS OF THE LORD, WEEP, AND SAY, SPARE, O LORD, YOUR PEOPLE, AND MAKE NOT YOUR HERITAGE A REPROACH, WITH THE NATIONS RULING OVER THEM! WHY SHOULD THEY SAY AMONG THE PEOPLES, WHERE IS THEIR GOD? THEN THE LORD WAS STIRRED TO CONCERN FOR HIS LAND AND TOOK PITY ON HIS PEOPLE. THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> BE MERCIFUL, 0 LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> BE MERCIFUL, 0 LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> HAVE MERCY ON ME, O OD, ACCORDING TO YOUR MERCIFUL LOVE; ACCORDING TO YOUR GREAT COMPASSION, BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS. THOROUGHLY WASH ME OF MY GUILT AND OF MY SIN CLEANSE ME. >> BE MERCIFUL, 0 LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY OFFENSE. AND MY SIN IS BEFORE ME. AGAINST YOU ONLY HAVE I SINNED AND DONE WHAT IS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> A CLEAN HEART CREATE FOR ME, O GOD, AND A STEADFAST SPIRIT RENEW WITHIN ME. CAST ME NOT OUT FROM YOUR PRESENCE, AND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TAKE NOT FROM ME. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. >> GIVE ME BACK THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION AND A WILLING SPIRIT SUSTAIN IN ME. O LORD, OPEN MY LIPS AND MY MOUTH SHALL PROCLAIM YOUR PRAISE. >> BE MERCIFUL, O LORD, FOR WE HAVE SINNED. [ORGAN] >> ♪ PRAISE AND GLORY UNTO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> ♪ PRAISE AND GLORY UNTO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> ♪ IF TODAY YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, HARDEN NOT YOUR HEARTS ♪ >> ♪ PRAISE AND GLORY UNTO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST ♪ >> THE LORD BE WITH YOU. >> AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT. >> A READING FROM THE SECOND LETTER OF ST PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, AS IF GOD WERE APPEARING TO US. WE IMPLORE YOU ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, BE RECONCILED TO GOD. FOR OUR SAKE HE MADE HIM TO BE SIN WHO DID NOT KNOW SIN SO THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM. WORKING TOGETHER THEN WE APPEAL TO YOU NOT TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN FOR HE SAYS IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HEARD YOU. AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU. BEHOLD. NOW IS A VERY ACCEPTABLE TIME. BEHOLD NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> MAY THE LORD BE WITH YOU. >> AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT. >> A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. >> GLORY TO YOU, LORD. >> JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES: TAKE CARE NOT TO PERFORM RIGHTEOUS DEEDS IN ORDER THAT PEOPLE MAY SEE THEM; OTHERWISE, YOU WILL HAVE NO RECOMPENSE FROM YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. WHEN YOU GIVE ALMS, DO NOT BLOW A TRUMPET BEFORE YOU, AS THE HYPOCRITES DO IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND IN THE STREETS TO WIN THE PRAISE OF OTHERS. AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD. BUT WHEN YOU GIVE ALMS, DO NOT LET YOUR LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT IS DOING, SO THAT YOUR ALMSGIVING MAY BE SECRET. AND YOUR FATHER WHO SEES IN SECRET WILL REPAY YOU. WHEN YOU PRAY, DO NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES, WHO LOVE TO STAND AND PRAY IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND ON STREET CORNERS SO THAT OTHERS MAY SEE THEM. AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD. BUT 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. WHEN YOU FAST, DO NOT LOOK GLOOMY LIKE THE HYPOCRITES. THEY NEGLECT THEIR APPEARANCE, SO THAT THEY MAY APPEAR TO OTHERS TO BE FASTING. AMEN, I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR REWARD. BUT WHEN YOU FAST, ANOINT YOUR HEAD AND WASH YOUR FACE, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT APPEAR TO BE FASTING, EXCEPT TO YOUR FATHER WHO IS HIDDEN. AND YOUR FATHER WHO SEES WHAT IS HIDDEN WILL REPAY YOU. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD. >> PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST. >> 1 OF THE MOST MEMORABLE LINES IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SO MUCH SO THAT YOU JUST MAY BE ABLE TO FINISH THE SENTENCE I'M ABOUT TO SAY, IS THAT IN THIS WORLD ONLY 2 THINGS ARE CERTAIN. DEATH AND TAXES. WELL SINCE I'M NOT A CPA OR A LAWYER AND HAVE VERY LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT TAXES, OTHER THAN I SUPPOSE THAT YOU DO HAVE TO PAY THEM, I WILL LIMIT MYSELF TO REFLECTIONS THIS MORNING THIS ASH WEDNESDAY ABOUT THAT OTHER CERTAINTY THAT WE ALL FACE - DEATH. DEAR FRIENDS, TODAY OUR FOREHEADS ARE MARKED WITH ASHES AND IT IS AN ANNUAL REMINDER FROM OUR HOLY MOTHER THE CHURCH OF OUR MORTALITY. WE ARE TOLD YOU WILL RETURN TO DUST. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. REMEMBER THAT THIS LIFE YOU NOW LIVE WILL NOT GO ON FOREVER. BUT DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IF THIS IS ALL THAT WE WERE TOLD IF THIS IS ALL THAT THIS DAY PROCLAIMS IT WOULD BE LITERALLY FATALISTIC. IT WOULD JUST BE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR INEVITABLE DEMISE. BUT IN ALERTING US HERE AGAIN YEAR AFTER YEAR OF OUR FRAGILITY AND IMPERMANENCE, THE CHURCH DESIRES MUCH MORE FOR US. SHE DESIRES THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND EXPERIENCE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD. SHE CALLS US TO LIVE FOR THE REALITY THAT DOES ENDURE. THE LOVE OF GOD. LIFE WITH HIM. EVEN THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES. CONSIDER AN EXAMPLE. IF YOU HAD A SERIOUS ILLNESS, UNBEKNOWNST TO YOU THAT WAS SILENTLY AND INVISIBLY THREATENING YOUR LIFE, AND YOU VISITED YOUR DOCTOR AND HE DID NOT TELL YOU BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO BE NEGATIVE OR HE DID NOT WANT YOU TO FEEL BAD THIS WOULD IN FACT BE CRUEL. BECAUSE IT WOULD DEPRIVE YOU OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEALED. SIMILARLY THE DOCTOR WHO IS PERFECTLY WILLING TO INFORM YOU OF YOUR ILLNESS BUT THEN REFUSED TO PRESCRIBE THE KNOWN CURE, A CURE HE KNEW OF AND COULD PROVIDE AND HAD RIGHT AT HAND, THIS ALSO WOULD BE CRUEL. BROTHERS AND SISTERS DEAR FRIENDS, WHAT A GRACE IT IS TO BELONG TO A CHURCH THAT IS HONEST WITH US. HONEST ABOUT OUR MORTALITY. HONEST ABOUT OUR NEED FOR CONVERSION AND REPENTANCE. AND ABOVE ALL HONEST WITH US ABOUT THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE DUST AND TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN. REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL. THESE ARE THE 2 STATEMENTS PRESCRIBED BY THE CHURCH IN THE ROMAN MISSAL TO BE SAID WHILE ASHES ARE BEING IMPOSED ON OUR FOREHEADS. PRIESTS MAY CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER. IN MY TIME AS A PRIEST SO FAR I HAVE CHOSEN BOTH. AT MASS I ALTERNATE BETWEEN THEM. I CAN SAY ONE FOR A FEW OF THE FAITHFUL AND THEN SWITCH TO THE OTHER AND THEN SWITCH BACK. MY HOPE AND MY REASON FOR DOING THAT IS THAT THE REPETITION OF THESE WORDS AND THE JOINING OF THESE 2 PHRASES TOGETHER OVER AND OVER AGAIN MAKES THEM GET STUCK IN OUR HEAD. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE DUST AND TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN. REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL. THESE 2 EXPRESSIONS COMPLEMENT ONE ANOTHER. ALMOST LIKE IF YOU ARE HEARING THE ROSARY THAT YOU HEAR THE HAIL MARY AND YOU ASSOCIATE WITH HOLY MOTHER OF GOD PRAY FOR US SINNERS NOW AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH. BOTH PARTS ARE FAMILIAR AND JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR MINDS. AND IN THIS WAY THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ASHES THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH OUR LORD IS SAYING TO US REMEMBER THAT THIS LIFE DOES NOT LAST FOREVER BUT DO NOT BE AFRAID. I COME WITH GOOD NEWS. GIVE YOUR HEART TO ME. BELIEVE IN MY LOVE. LOOK TO MY SON. LOOK TO HIS CROSS. BELIEVE AND LOVE. DEAR FRIENDS YOU NEED NOT JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. CONSIDER THAT BEFORE THE CHURCH DOES ANYTHING WITH THESE ASHES THEY ARE BLESSED 1ST. THE PRIEST PRAYS OVER THE ASHES. GOD IS BLESSING US IN OUR WEAKNESS AND IN OUR NEED FOR HIM. ADDITIONALLY AS THE ASHES ARE PUT ON OUR FOREHEAD THEY ARE PUT IN THE FORM OF A CROSS. SO THIS GESTURE THAT SEEMS SO DARK ON THE ONE HAND IS IMBUED WITH THE SAVING CROSS OF JESUS. AND IS GIVEN GOD'S BLESSING. RECALL ALSO WHAT WE HEARD SO BEAUTIFULLY IN OUR READINGS. RETURN TO ME WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART. REND YOUR HEARTS. RETURN TO THE LORD YOUR GOD. FOR GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL IS HE. SLOW TO ANGER, RICH IN KINDNESS, AND RELENTING IN PUNISHMENT. AND ITS CONCLUSION THE LORD WAS STIRRED TO CONCERN FOR HIS LAND AND TO TAKE PITY ON HIS PEOPLE. AND AGAIN DEAR FRIENDS, TODAY THIS YEAR 2022 THE LORD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HE IS STILL RICH IN KINDNESS AND TAKES PITY ON US. THIS YEAR AS LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE AND AS WILL BE NEXT YEAR THE MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME. BEHOLD NOW IS A VERY ACCEPTABLE TIME, BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. THESE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE THEY ARE NOT JUST A MESSAGE FOR THOSE PEOPLE LONG AGO. THEY ARE SPOKEN TO US ALSO TODAY. THUS WE DID NOT HEAR "BEHOLD, THE FORMER TIMES WERE THE ACCEPTABLE TIMES. THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF SALVATION. THE DECADES WHEN THE CHURCH HAD GREATER CULTURAL PROMINENCE. WHEN OUR SOCIETY WAS BETTER. THOSE WERE THE DAYS OF SALVATION." NEITHER ARE WE TOLD, "BEHOLD, SOMETIME SOON PERHAPS WHEN YOU ARE STRONGER AND YOU HAVE NO MORE PROBLEMS OR WEAKNESSES. THOSE WILL BE THE ACCEPTABLE TIMES." NO. NOW IS THE ACCEPTABLE TIME. NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION. EACH OF US CAN BE SURE. THIS MOMENT. THIS DAY. THIS PRECISE MOMENT IN MY LIFE. THE LIFE THAT GOD IS GIVEN ME TO LIVE AT THIS MOMENT IN THE WORLD AND IN THE CHURCH THIS IS THE TIME OF SALVATION. THIS IS WHAT I MUST OFFER TO HIM. MY LIFE. RIGHT NOW. THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME. THE CROSS THAT THE LORD IS ASKED ME TO CARRY THE WEAKNESSES AND DIFFICULTIES THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW TODAY THESE THINGS THAT GOD HAS ALLOWED TO ENTER TO MY LIFE THESE ARE WHAT I MUST OFFER TO HIM AT THIS TIME FOR MY SALVATION. DEAR FRIENDS BOTH HERE AND WATCHING AT HOME TOGETHER WE ENTRUST OURSELVES ALL OF OUR NEEDS AND INTENTIONS TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. WE OFFER TO HIM THIS SEASON OF LENT. HE SEES IN SECRET. HE SEES OUR SECRET SUFFERINGS. HE SEES THE DEEP DESIRE IN INTENTIONS WE HAVE. FOR OURSELVES AND FOR FAMILIES AND FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD AND FOR THE CHURCH. WE OFFER IT ALL TO THE LORD. THINK ABOUT AS WE GO ABOUT YOUR DAY TODAY. IN THE 2ND READING WE ALSO HEARD WE BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM. WHAT AN AMAZING PHRASE THAT THAT IS. NOT EVEN THAT WE SHARE IN HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS OR THAT HE MAKES US RIGHTEOUS, THAT WE BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN JESUS. PONDER THAT. THOSE WORDS, HOW DEEP A TRANSFORMATION IN CHRIST MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED BY HIS GRACE FOR THE LORD TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT. YES, LORD, TODAY WE CONSECRATE OUR LENTEN OBSERVANCES AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR YOUR GLORY. WE OFFER YOU TODAY OUR PRAYERS AND OUR DESIRE TO BE WITH YOU. REPAY US, WE ASK YOU. REPAY US ONE DAY WITH A CLEAR VISION OF YOUR FACE WITH ALL OF THE SAINTS. AMEN.
