“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.”
Mass Readings 2.18.15 – FIRST READING: Joel 2:12-18 – PSALM 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 AND 17 – SECOND READING: 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2 – GOSPEL: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 – Find a Mass: MassTimes.org – Find a Mass: TheCatholicDirectory.com
Links & Resources
- Ash Wednesday Commentary – Saint John Paul II, General Audience of 16/02/1983, excerpt – DailyGospel.org
- Pope Francis: Ash Wednesday homily 2015 – News.va 2.19.15
- This Lent, ask God for the ‘gift of tears,’ Pope says – Catholic News Agency 2.15.15
- Return with tears to God’s loving embrace during Lent, pope says – Catholic Review/Catholic News Service 2.18.15
- You are Going to Die – An After Ash Wednesday Reflection – Msgr. Charles Pope, Archdiocese of Washington
FIRST READING
God calls us to return to Him with our whole hearts. With repentance we can seek out His Mercy and Kindness.
“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.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALM 51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 AND 17
Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
SECOND READING
SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1
Saint Paul exhorts us to reconcile with God and turn to Him, with a sense that now is the time for Salvation.
… 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.
GOSPEL
Jesus cautions us not to dilute the benefits of almsgiving and fasting by having them distract us into self-aggrandizement.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them … When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you … do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. …‘When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand … so that others may see them. … 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 …
More Links & Resources
- Find a Mass: MassTimes.org
- Find a Mass: TheCatholicDirectory.com
- VIDEO: Sunday Mass – Basilica in Washington, D.C.
- VIDEO: Sunday Mass – Passionists (New York)
- VIDEO: Diocese of Sioux Falls, including Sunday Masses
- VIDEO: Sunday Mass – University of Notre Dame
- VIDEO: Daily Mass – Toronto
- VIDEO: Daily Mass – Boston/Catholic TV
- HOMILIES: Saint Anselm’s Abbey