Skip to main content

Ash Wednesday



#DAYLIGHT – Daily #MenOfLight
#GospelReflection
February 26, 2020
Ash Wednesday
Gospel: Mt 6: 1 – 6, 16 – 18
Sharer: Bro. Mike Lapid

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Gospel
“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.16 “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Reflection
HE REMEMBERS WE ARE DUST
Today is Ash Wednesday. This day marks the beginning of Lent. The Church begins this season of Lent by inviting us to pause and take time to examine and view our lives from a different perspective; a perspective that comes from our belief that God, who created us, will one day call us to himself and end our earthly life. As our earthly existence began with God, it too will end in his loving embrace. Ash Wednesday reminds us of the fragility of life; that indeed we were made by God from the dust of the earth and from dust we all shall return. This sobering truth about life allows us to reflect inwardly on the meaning of life and discover ways on how to live it purposefully.
This is what today’s Gospel asks us to do. Jesus tells us to take this step of retreating to our inner room, or what one may call, one’s secret chamber. The retreat to this inner chamber is a step towards this inward journey of reflecting and praying in order to discover the meaning and purpose of life. Without this inward retreat and journey, it becomes harder to see life from God’s own perspective.
When we see life from God’s own perspective, it becomes clear who we really are; that we really are nothing without God; that we have really nothing to boast about; that we cannot hide anything from God who knows our thoughts and all the yearnings of our heart. In front of God, we stand naked and stripped off of all our pretensions because God knows us all too well. God knows how we were formed, he remembers that we are dust ( Psalm 103: 14). If we see ourselves from this perspective, then the most natural thing for us to do is to humble ourselves before God, who despite of who we are, has loved us with an eternal love (Jer 31:3).
This season of Lent, let us cultivate this inner reflective journey throughout these forty days through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. May this inner journey bring us humility and repentance for the things we have done wrong. May this season allow us to grow in our understanding of life and see and appreciate it from God’s own perspective.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Prayer
Jesus, grant me the grace to know and understand fully well that you created me from dust and to dust I shall return. Amen.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Assignment
1.    If possible, join the liturgical rites of Ash Wednesday in Church.
2.    For some brief and quiet moment, think about your life. How has your life been and where is it heading?
3.    Ask God to direct your life and fill your life with purpose and meaning.

#Wearedust  #Ashestoashes  #Dusttodust
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Quote
He remembers we are dust - Psalm 103: 14





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Treasures of the Kingdom

Treasures of the Kingdom 17 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 13: 44 - 52 July 26, 2020 Introduction In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks again about the kingdom of God in parables. He presents the kingdom to us in an attractive way, comparing it to a treasure and a pearl of great price. Gospel 44  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46  on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. 47  “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48  when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil f...
2 comments
Read more

Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower 15 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 13: 1 – 9 Introduction Today’s reading presents to us the parable of the sower. This parable compares God to a sower sowing the seed of his word. The Gospel That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2  Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3  And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4  And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5  Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6  But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7  Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8  Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth...
2 comments
Read more

Parables of the Kingdom

Parables of the Kingdom 16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Mt 13: 24 – 43 Introduction Today’s reading presents to us three parables. As Jesus said, parables unlock the secrets of the Kingdom that have remained hidden from the world. The Gospel 24  He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25  but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27  And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28  He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29  But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30  Let both of the...
2 comments
Read more