Once again begins our great journey through dying and rising of the Paschal Mystery and beyond.
In the Gospel, taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ speaks of the three important spiritual disciplines of Lent, but emphasizes what really matters is the condition of our heart, that it is poised to seek after God and grow more deeply in relationship with Him, just like in the 1st reading, in which the prophet Joel speaks of rending our hearts, and not clothing.
By engaging in these practices, we have the opportunity to show God that we are deeply sorry for sin and desire to be restored to a right relationship with Him, which comes to us by faith.
Father Hurlbert put it well in his homily at Mass at Ascension Parish this evening that now is the time for us to declare our total, 100% commitment to God. And on a day when we recall our human mortality through ashes, it's a good time to think about how we want to be remember upon our death in this life. This Lenten journey is our opportunity to consider how we may grow more deeply in relationship with God so it is that which shines forth most prominently at our death.
Indeed, as Father Hurlbert said, we are ambassadors for Christ, as St. Paul writes in the 2nd reading, representing Him to the world, because of our credentials, which is the Cross of Jesus.
It's time to get to work making ourselves right with God that His Kingdom may come on Earth--as St. Paul declares, now is the acceptable time, and now is the day of salvation.
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