Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Meditations: Joel 2: 12 “Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart,

    and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.”

13 Tear your heart, and not your garments,

    and turn to Yahweh, your God;

    for he is gracious and merciful,

    slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness,

    and relents from sending calamity.

14 Who knows? He may turn and relent,

    and leave a blessing behind him,

    even a meal offering and a drink offering to Yahweh, your God.

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion!

    Sanctify a fast.

    Call a solemn assembly.

16 Gather the people.

    Sanctify the assembly.

    Assemble the elders.

    Gather the children, and those who nurse from breasts.

Let the bridegroom go out of his room,

    and the bride out of her room.

17 Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar,

    and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh,

    and don’t give your heritage to reproach,

    that the nations should rule over them.

Why should they say among the peoples,

    ‘Where is their God?’”

18 Then Yahweh was jealous for his land,

    And had pity on his people.

Ash Wednesday

Return to me with your whole heart. (Joel 2:12)

Welcome to Lent! For the next forty days, we will be journeying through the “desert” of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as we travel toward the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter.

Now, we all know that a desert is uninhabitable, full of danger, and lacking in such necessities as food and water. Why would anyone want to go there? Only, it seems, out of obedience to God. Mark tells us that it was the Spirit who “drove” Jesus into the desert (Mark 1:12). The Spirit pressed him to enter this place of testing and temptation.

Where did Jesus find the strength to survive the desert’s harsh conditions and resist temptation? In the word of God. He survived because he depended on God and all that he had promised.

As it happened to Jesus, so it now happens to us. Beginning today, the Holy Spirit wants to move us into the desert. He wants to separate us from the comforts of everyday life so that we can focus on overcoming the sin and moral weakness that separate us from God. But we don’t go there alone. The Spirit will help us in our weakness (Romans 8:26). He will guide us and encourage us when we are tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Of course, we have to play our part. We have to be willing to “compete well for the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). So plan to fast this Lent. Make time for prayer every day, and immerse yourself in God’s word. Be generous to those who are in need. Return to the Lord in these ways, and he will bless you.

Let’s make this Lent a time of openness to God’s favor. Let’s ask him to fill us with his grace, love, wisdom, and strength so that we can pass every test that lies ahead. If we are open, we will not be disappointed!

“Lord, open my eyes to your presence here in the desert. Help me to overcome the sin that separates me from you so that I can rejoice with you on Easter Sunday.” Amen!

Psalm 51: 3 For I know my transgressions.

    My sin is constantly before me.

4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned,

    and done that which is evil in your sight;

that you may be proved right when you speak,

    and justified when you judge.

5 Behold, I was born in iniquity.

    In sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.

    You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

    Uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways.

    Sinners shall be converted to you.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation.

    My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.

    A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

2 Corinthians 5: 20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6:1 Working together, we entreat also that you not receive the grace of God in vain, 2 for he says,

“At an acceptable time I listened to you,

in a day of salvation I helped you.”[a]

Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.

Footnotes:

a. 2 Corinthians 6:2 Isaiah 49:8

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does, 4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; 18 so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

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