ASH WEDNESDAY

ASH WEDNESDAY First day of Lent Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” In this ancient formula we are reminded of our mortality and that we shall one day return unto the dust from which man was originally drawn. The ash reminds us that we are not immortal, we are only pilgrims travelling on the journey. One day we will be gone. Ash Wednesday is a reminder of our humanity. It is a day that reminds us we will not be here forever. We have an expiration date thus we are challenge to live the very best everyday. Folks, make the rest of your life the best of your life. For today, I would like to share 5S’s with you guys. The season of Lent reminds us that we are all SINNERS. Sin make us dirty, mortal and weak. Ashes on our foreheads reminds us that we are dirty. We commit mistakes in thoughts, in words and in actions. But no matter how sinful we are; there is a God who always loves and accept us. As St. Paul said: “Where sins abounds, grace abounds all the more.” Friends, Return to the Lord for He is gracious and merciful. Yes, we are all sinners that is why we need to do some SACRIFICES. We need to do something to please our creator. Be reconciled to God and now is the acceptable time. Our Holy mother Church asked us to pray, fast and give alms. Today is the right season to minimize our focus on the worldly affairs and fix our life to spiritual endeavors. Less of inordination worldy concerns and spend more on heavenly reaities. But, in doing so we need to do it in SECRET. Friends, pray in secret, fast in secret and give alms in secret. Showing that we are praying is hypocrisy. Displaying our generosity is pretension. Jesus warns us in the gospel saying: “Beware of practising your piety before people inorder to be seen.” Do not let your right hand knows what your left hand is doing. Finally, when we do some sacrifices we need to accompany it with a big SMILE. When you pray, smile. When you fast, smile. When you give alms, smile. SILENCE and SMILE are two powerful tools. Smile is the way to solve many problems and Silence is the way to avoid many problems. Fellow sinners, do sacrifices but do it in secret and accompany it with a smile. My dear friends, wishing you a blessed Lent. Let me end my reflection by sharing with you three signs of a sincere repentance. 1. CONTRITION. It means, you show a sincere sorrow not by shedding tears but by changing your sinful lifestyle. You are sad because you hurt someone up there who loves you so much. 2. CONFESSION. It is an act of humble recognition of our sinfulness. Naming our sins means accepting our limitations and imperfections. 3. CONVERSION. It means you promise not to do it again. You make an honest oath not to repeat the same mistakes again. Friends, don’t do it again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. Blessings Fr. Jhack