Ash Wednesday - February 22, 2012

Ash Wednesday
February 22, 2012

 “I turned to the Lord God,
pleading in earnest prayer,
with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.”  Daniel 9:3

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent where we go with Jesus into the desert to fast and pray. Our desert is most likely not the geographical location of biblical times but more likely a spiritual reality present in the silence of our heart, mind and soul. At least that is where my desert takes me. To once again use these 40 days of spiritual retreat for prayer and study of God’s precious Word. To reflect on my sins, resolve once again with the Grace of God to repent, turn away from sin, turn toward the Gospel and draw ever more near to God my Creator, His Son Jesus my Savior and His Holy Spirit my Paraclete.

“Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion
wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

Be Merciful, O Lord for I have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:

Against you only have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.
O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.”
(Psalm 51)

“Remember, man, you are dust,
and unto dust you shall return.”
(Genesis 3:19)

"You have made us for yourself,
O Lord, and our heart is restless
until it rests in you." St. Augustine

Ash Wednesday - March 9, 2011

Ash Wednesday

March 9, 2011

"Remember, man, you are dust,
and unto dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19)

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent with today’s Gospel from Matthew chapter six, establishing the structure of our forty day retreat: pray, fast and give alms, not with an outward show, but with a quiet, humble and converted heart. We will travel this journey in imitation of Our Lord’s forty-day fast in the desert.

Our liturgy opened with a prayer of protection, “Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent, make this day holy by our self-denial.” Then ashes burned from the previous year’s blessed palms were placed on our forehead as a reminder that there is one thing that none of us will be able to escape on this earth, and that is death. The Good News is, there is life after death. “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Lent is a time to reevaluate our lives. Sometimes I think forty days isn’t enough time to regroup, to get back on track, and make a good conversion of heart. Have I let self-love, pride, worry, envy or materialism erode my relationship with God?

Lord use these forty days to make right our relationship with you,
put us on your right and narrow track,

and head us in your right direction.

We are made for you dear Lord,

we are made for heaven,

this is our goal.
Help us to get there.

Pope Benedict XVI said it more articulately in his message for Lent 2011. “In synthesis, the Lenten journey, in which we are invited to contemplate the Mystery of the Cross, is meant to reproduce within us “the pattern of his death” (Ph 3: 10), so as to effect a deep conversion in our lives; that we may be transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit, like St. Paul on the road to Damascus; that we may firmly orient our existence according to the will of God; that we may be freed of our egoism, overcoming the instinct to dominate others and opening us to the love of Christ. The Lenten period is a favorable time to recognize our weakness and to accept, through a sincere inventory of our life, the renewing Grace of the Sacrament of Penance, and walk resolutely towards Christ.”

"Our Hearts are Restless Until They Rest in You Oh Lord." St Augustine 

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Ash Wednesday

Lent is a time to examine our lives carefully and to root out those things that keep us from loving God and each other fully. Today we enter into the desert for forty days on our journey to the Resurrection.

On this day all the faithful according to ancient custom are encouraged to approach the altar there the priest dipping his thumb into ashes previously blessed marks the forehead of the communicant and saying, “Remember man that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return", or "Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel."

The ashes used in this ceremony are made by burning the remains of the palms blessed on the Palm Sunday of the previous year.

O Rex Gentium: O King of the Gentiles - December 22

O Rex Gentium: O King of the Gentiles

This O Antiphon makes today a “little” Ash Wednesday: Come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth. This plea is that God will save all humanity, all He created and formed from the dust of the earth. Come Lord Jesus breathe the breath of your life into us and make us one.

O Rex Gentium
O King of the gentiles/nations and their desired One,

the cornerstone that makes both one:

come, and deliver man,

whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

This Antiphon is based on the following scripture:

Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore, thus says the Lord God: See, I am laying a stone in Zion, a stone that has been tested, a precious cornerstone as a sure foundation; he who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.”

Psalm 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Matthew 21:42 “Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?””

Mark 12:10 “Have you not read this scripture: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…””

Luke 20:17 “But he looked at them and asked, “What then does this scriptures passage mean: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?”

Acts 4:11 “He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.”

Ephesians 2:20 “build upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.”

Revelation 15:3 “and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the Nations.””

 

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Latin

Veni, veni, Rex Gentium, Veni

Redemptor omnium,

ut salvas tuos

famulos Peccati sibi conscious.

English

O come Desire of nations,

bind in one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid every strife and quarrel cease

And fill the world with heaven’s peace.

Blessed Advent Season
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