Wednesday, 22 February 2023.
ASH WEDNESDAY: A CALL FOR REPENTANCE
First reading. Joel 2: 12-18
Psalm 51:3-6,12-14,17
Second reading. 2 Corinthians 5: 20-6: 2
Gospel. Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18
TOPIC FOR REFLECTION
FAST FROM SIN AND NOT FROM FOOD
What type of love and respect is it that your child has for you if he gives you lots of money and still goes about insulting you?
Would it not be better that he shows you love and respect, even if he has no money to give?
I guess, a normal person would prefer he is shown love and respect without money than insulting him because of the money.
So, it becomes an insult unto God if one should be faithful to fasting from food, and not fasting from sin. However, one would give glory to God if one should fast from sin, and not just food alone.
One of the main aims of fasting and abstinence is primarily to mortify one's flesh, and the sacrifice made from fasting is used for charity to others. That is, the money saved from fasting is used as charity for the less privileged.
Similarly, Prophet Joel prophesied saying the Lord said, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and tear your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD, your God,
A true contrite heart will make one weep and have the feeling of mourning, and that is exactly what God wants.
Also, fasting will help one to have self-control over gluttony, greed, covetousness, and the sin of the flesh.
Prayer helps us to be in constant communication with the Lord.
Let me re-emphasized what Prophets Joel said: God says... TEAR YOUR HEART AND NOT YOUR GARMENT.
It is when one has a deep contrite heart that such can experience the loving mercy of God.
More so, as Jesus said:...
1. If you give arms, do not publicize them to the public, but if you do, you will lose the spiritual benefit and it will become a mere social act.
2. Do not pray because you want to gain attention and admiration for yourself, if you do, you have your reward already.
3. When you fast, do not put on a worn-out face letting people know you are fasting. If you do such, you have succeeded in punishing yourself by denying yourself food. If however, you fast without publicizing it, your reward will be great in heaven.
Therefore, the season of Lent commences today, beginning with Ash Wednesday. The symbol of the ash placed on our forehead reminds us that we are dust, and unto dust, we shall return. Therefore, we should repent and believe the Gospel of Christ.
Romans 3:23 says that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This simply means that we all need repentance. Repentance of the sin we always commit, even after going to confess it severally. This is the period we are advised to fast and abstain from it. Though not easy to overcome a perpetual sin; however, the grace of God is sufficient for us. More so, one of the means of overcoming step by step is to avoid the occasion that does lead to it. I guess this method will help.
Fasting is not only on food and drink but on those vices, we battle within our daily lives. You know yours, and I know mine.
The first reading stresses that we should come back to the Lord with all our hearts, fasting, weeping, and mourning.’ We should let our hearts be broken, and not our garments torn. We should turn to the Lord our God again, for He is all tenderness and compassion.
Our hearts would be broken if we acknowledge our sins, and repent of them. Invariably, we are to fast from sin, and not just from food alone.
Fasting from food should help us to overcome sin, that is, the mortification of the flesh enriches the soul.
St. Paul admonished us not to neglect the grace of God that we have received. The grace we received at baptism should not be neglected, and the gifts we received at confirmation should be fanned into flame. Cf. 2 Timothy 1: 6-7.
It means with prayer and virtue; we can sustain the grace of God in us.
Jesus in today's Gospel instructs us to do our almsgiving in secret so that our heavenly Father can reward us greatly. Any almsgiving done in the open has no single reward.
We pray 🙏 to God that our observance of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving this season of Lent should not go unrewarded.
Peace ✌️ be with you
Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.
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