Ash Wednesday 2008

Beginning from today we start the season of Lent. The forty days that it lasts, reminds us the of the forty days that Jesus spent in the desert at the start of his public ministry. In that same spirit of self sacrifice and self denial we take up these days. For some , these will be long days and hard days. But these days are not a simple trial of our self will. In the end we should not want to end up with we are stronger than this or that, like a strong man who has overcome someone else. But we should want to end up with more space in our life for God rather than other things which often squeeze him out. And it should remind us of the daily battle not to let sin reign in our hearts, and our desire through God’s grace to win the battle.

What is it that we should be doing? Should we be doing a lot or should we be doing a little. Should we be approaching it psychologically: if we do a lot we are bound to fail, if we do a little there is more hope that we will achieve something. It always seems sad , when Lent is reduced to giving up sugar in your tea. It always seems sad when Lent is good because it helps you to lose a few pounds. It always seems sad when maybe we do something small and miss out the real thing we should be doing. It always seems sad when Lent is begun with good intention and then forgotten about a few days later.

So what should we do during Lent, something small or something great. It seems to me that it is a great season of repentance and renewal as we hear in the first reading of today’s Mass. The whole Church is on this journey towards Easter, it is hard to think that it expects that we only do a little. It expects great things from us. That we become more prayerful, that we become more generous, that we become more selfless, that we master sin in our life. This is not the language of something small but of something great that is expected of us. This about challenge. It is saying this is actually what it is meant to be about always. Can you do it now, can you do it for these forty days. If you can do it for these forty days maybe you will be able to do it at other times.

The Gospel also give us something important to remember, to check our motivation. The reason why we do these things is not to get noticed, not to make people speak well of us , not for praise, we only do them for the sake of them. So check your motivation: is the fast to lose weight? Is the almsgiving to make you feel better ? Is the prayer only a quick few seconds in your day., something you do out of duty rather than love of God? Check your motivation.

Conceivably Lent could pass people by. Conceivably Lent could entail the smallest sacrifices for us. Conceivably Lent could be done for the wrong reason. But conceivable also Lent can create a great change in our hearts. We join on a great pilgrimage of hearts moving towards Easter. We join with millions of people who desire to make their lives more spiritual and more close to God. We join with people who want to change their lives and put things to rights with the grace of God. Lent is full of great possibilities for people who enter into it with generosity.

Prayers of Intercession Ash Wednesday

Priest

As the Church begins Lent we remember in prayer all our needs.

Intercessor

For the Church throughout the world, that it may experience Lent as a season of repentance and renewal.

We pray to the Lord

For a greater spirit of prayerfulness in our lives – spending time in prayer with God each day and coming closer to Him.

We pray to the Lord

For a spirit of self denial and sacrifice, that allows us to master sin in our lives.

We pray to the Lord

We pray for a care for the poor and needy especially through our generosity towards them.

We pray to the Lord

For all who are away from their faith, that through the season of Lent they may find their way back to almighty God.

We pray to the Lord

Priest

Heavenly Father

Make this season of lent a season of self denial and a time in which we come closer to you. Help us to be ready for Easter with minds and hearts renewed. Top Comment on this Homily