THE WILLINGNESS TO DO PENANCE AND REFORM OUR LIVES.

Readings...

"Return to the Lord, your God.... sanctify the congregation... do not make your heritage a mockery." [Joel 2:12-8]

"Do not accept the grace of God in vain.... now is the day of salvation!" [2 Cor. 5:20-6:2]

"Do not be like hypocrites. Practicing piety, giving alms, praying, fasting... do all in secret... and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." [Mt. 6:1-6, 16-8]

Homily...

Based on the Catholic Church Liturgical Calendar, December 25th, Christmas, was a time to reflect on the incarnation. This was followed by the Holy Family Sunday, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. Then, we had the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord Jesus.

Following these feasts, there is a period of Ordinary Time, its length depending on the date of Easter. Last Sunday, we celebrated the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Now, we are entering the period of Lent in preparation for Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, that being today's feast that we are celebrating.

What marks Ash Wednesday as special? It is when we go to Church and the priest marks our foreheads with ashes as a sign of our willingness to do penance and reform our lives.

It is a time when we are reminded to return to the Lord our God if we have been negligent of our spiritual lives. It is a time when all the parishioners are being sanctified. It is a time when we look at our hearts to ensure that we are not mocking the heritage of eternal life that God has given us. It is a time when we accept His grace with thankfulness. It is a realization that our salvation depends on what we do today, not putting it off.

The teachings of the Holy Bible commands us to do penance. Today's Gospel teaches us how it should be done. We should not be like the hypocrites who like to be seen by everyone. When we practice pious devotions, give alms to the Church, help the poor, pray and fast, we should do it all in secret without seeking recognition or an appointment in the Order of Canada for our work. What God the Father sees in secret, He will eternally reward when we go to Heaven. Those who are elevated to the Order of Canada have already received their worldly honours and Jesus tells us that in such cases, there will be no Heavenly rewards.

During the period of Lent that begins today, the catechumens are making their final preparation to receive the Holy Sacrament of Baptism.

Those who are already baptized are challenged to die to sin and to rise to the new life in Jesus Christ. This Christian disposition will build up to the sacred triduum, the three days when Catholics are called to relive the events of the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Then, there will be the celebration of the Resurrection with the Easter Vigil and the Holy Masses of Easter.

In brief, this is where we are at in the Church Liturgical Calendar and where we are heading for the glory of the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.

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