Ash Wednesday
Weekday liturgy (Year 2) — violet
1st Reading
Joel 2:12-18
Lectio (Reading)
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.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14, 17
Lectio (Reading)
R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. 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.
R. 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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
2nd Reading
Gospel Reading
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Lectio (Reading)
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 others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Meditatio (Reflecting)
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you…, When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…, When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
Oratio (Responding)
These proscriptions are meant to foster humility in our souls. Humility is the antidote to pride, and the cornerstone of Jesus’s teaching. Humility in prayer means that you are doing it only for God, and not for credit or acknowledgement.
Our whole world runs on the questions “Who is responsible for this?” or “Who deserves credit for that?” Humans are always making sure they know who did what, or who’s fault it is. But God only cares that we develop a personal relationship with Him, and “personal” means that it is just between you and Him. No one else need know about it.
Another way to look at this is that you should never judge the person that seems to not to be prayerful at all, you have no idea what their prayer life might be actually like. It is not for you to know or for them to tell you, you need to mind your own business.
So what does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Well first you need to get to know Him. You need to read about Him, learn about Him, and when you think you know Him a little better, you need to talk (aka, pray) to Him. And finally, when you are done praying, you need to listen to what He is trying to tell you. This last part is the hardest for me. I find it very difficult to slow my brain down long enough to hear something other than my own thoughts, but it is just as important as everything else.
Personal relationship does not mean that you will be best friends immediately. Like all of our relationships, it is a journey, and there will be times that you feel really close to Him and there are others that you will feel very far away. But that is the point, He wants to be be part of our lives, at all times, good and bad. It is on you to decide how that will look in your life, and how much you will let Him in.
So decide today, ask Him into your life, and turn to Him at all times. Look to Him for help and guidance with whatever you might need. He is waiting for you, you just need to ask.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.
Resolutio (Resolving)
Oh lord, Please help me today to hear what you have to tell me.