Ash Wednesday
(Joel 2:12-18; II Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6.16-18)
A guest editorialist recently wrote in a national newspaper about
his experience of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday. He said that like most Catholics he does not
attend Mass every Sunday. But -- he defended himself -- he always goes on Ash
Wednesday. He said that it is a good
thing to receive the ashes and hear the words, “… you are dust, and to dust you
shall return.”
It would be fair to ask the writer, “Good for what?” if he
does not repent of sins like not giving due worship to God. Ashes are administered to do more than remind one
of human mortality once a year.
Obituaries do the same every day.
Ashes are the first step in the process of repentance and reform. They move recipients to stop thinking about conforming
to the Lord’s ways and to start doing it.
In today’s gospel Jesus tells us that our repentance must be
sincere. It should not be done to
impress others or – more foolishly – to think we can fool God by fasting,
giving alms, or praying publicly. These requisite
practices are to be carried out without drawing attention to ourselves or convincing
ourselves that we are better than others.
No, we practice repentance for love of God whom we have often failed.
