Ash Wednesday
Lectionary: 219
Lectionary: 219
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
Offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
And say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Then the LORD was stirred to
concern for his land
and took pity on his people.
and took pity on his people.
Responsorial
Psalm51:3-4, 5-6AB, 12-13, 14 AND 17
R. (see
3a) Be
merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we 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.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we 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.”
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Reading 22 COR 5:20—6:2
Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ,
be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For he says:
In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.
and on the day of salvation I helped you.
Behold, now is a very acceptable
time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.
behold, now is the day of salvation.
Verse Before
The GospelPS 95:8
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
harden not your hearts.
GospelMT 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”
Meditation: When you pray,
fast, and give alms
Are
you hungry for God and do you thirst for his holiness? God wants to set our
hearts ablaze with the fire of his Holy Spirit that we may share in his
holiness and radiate the joy of the Gospel to those around us. St. Augustine of
Hippo tells us that there are two kinds of people and two kinds of love:
"One is holy, the other is selfish. One is subject to God; the other
endeavors to equal Him." We are what we love. God wants to free our hearts
from all that would keep us captive to selfishness and sin. "Rend your
hearts and not your garments" says the prophet Joel (Joel 2:12). The Holy
Spirit is ever ready to transform our hearts and to lead us further in God's
way of truth and holiness.
Devoting
our lives to God
Why did Jesus single out prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as the cardinal works of the religious life. These were seen as the key signs of a pious (godly) person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory - the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2).
Why did Jesus single out prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for his disciples? The Jews considered these three as the cardinal works of the religious life. These were seen as the key signs of a pious (godly) person, the three great pillars on which the good life was based. Jesus pointed to the heart of the matter. Why do you pray, fast, and give alms? To draw attention to yourself so that others may notice and think highly of you? Or to give glory to God? The Lord warns his disciples of self-seeking glory - the preoccupation with looking good and seeking praise from others. True piety is something more than feeling good or looking holy. True piety is loving devotion to God. It is an attitude of awe, reverence, worship and obedience. It is a gift and working of the Holy Spirit that enables us to devote our lives to God with a holy desire to please him in all things (Isaiah 11:1-2).
Fulness
of life with God our Father
What is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life, happiness, and truth. May the prayer of Augustine of Hippo, recorded in his Confessions, be our prayer this Lent: When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrows or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete. The Lord wants to renew us each day and give us new hearts of love and compassion. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Seek him expectantly in prayer, with fasting, and in generous giving to those in need.
What is the sure reward which Jesus points out to his disciples? It is communion with God our Father. In him alone we find the fulness of life, happiness, and truth. May the prayer of Augustine of Hippo, recorded in his Confessions, be our prayer this Lent: When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrows or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete. The Lord wants to renew us each day and give us new hearts of love and compassion. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Seek him expectantly in prayer, with fasting, and in generous giving to those in need.
In
the wilderness of prayer and fasting with Jesus
The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus' forty days in the wilderness. Forty is a significant number in the Scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence (expressing true sorrow for sin and wrongdoing) as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover of Jesus' victory over sin, Satan, and death.
The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus' forty days in the wilderness. Forty is a significant number in the Scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. We are called to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence (expressing true sorrow for sin and wrongdoing) as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover of Jesus' victory over sin, Satan, and death.
Growing
in lively faith, firm hope, and fervent charity
The Lord Jesus gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength (faith, hope, and love) to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ's death and resurrection. As you begin this holy season of testing and preparation, ask the Lord Jesus for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit so that you may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in your life.
The Lord Jesus gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength (faith, hope, and love) to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ's death and resurrection. As you begin this holy season of testing and preparation, ask the Lord Jesus for a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit so that you may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in your life.
"Lord
Jesus, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love
of you. Take from me all lukewarmness in the meditation of your word, and
dullness in prayer. Give me fervor and delight in thinking of you and your
grace, and fill me with compassion for others, especially those in need, that I
may respond with generosity."
A
Daily Quote for Lent: Lent
- the epitome of our whole life, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430
AD
"Christians
must always live in this way, without any wish to come down from their cross -
otherwise they will sink beneath the world's mire. But if we have to do so all
our lives, we must make an even greater effort during the days of Lent. It is
not a simple matter of living through forty days. Lent is the epitome of our
whole life." (excerpt from Sermon 205, 1)
ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, MATTHEW 6:1-6, 16-18
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
(Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2 Corinthians 5:20 ̶ 6:2)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
(Joel 2:12-18; Psalm 51; 2 Corinthians 5:20 ̶ 6:2)
KEY VERSE: "Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father" (Mt 6:1).
TO KNOW: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus asked his disciples to examine their motives when performing virtuous deeds. He gave three examples, which were characteristic of Jewish piety at the time: almsgiving (vs. 1-4), prayer (vs. 5-15), and fasting (vs. 16-18). Jesus contrasted the hypocritical behavior of the religious leaders with the sincere conduct he expected of his followers. Prayer should express the disciple's relationship with God. Almsgiving should convey their solidarity with the poor. Fasting should represent their sorrow for sin. The prophets warned against outward signs without interior conversion. The prophet Joel said: "Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord" (Jl 2:13a). Fasting had no value if only done to win the approval of others. The prophet Isaiah said that an acceptable fast should include acts of justice toward the prisoner, poor, hungry, oppressed and homeless (Is 58:5-7). Today, the placing of ashes on our foreheads is a confession of our sinfulness, but also a sign of hope and trust in a merciful God who is rich in kindness and relenting in punishment" (Jl 2:13b).
TO LOVE: .In what ways will I pray, fast and give alms this Lent?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to do everything for the love of God and neighbor.
Ashes
The ashes used for Ash Wednesday come from burning the palm fronds from the previous year’s Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter. Ashes are a biblical symbol of mourning and penance used since the time of Moses ("sackcloth and ashes," Nm 19:9-10, 17-18). They also symbolize death to remind us of our mortality. Thus when the faithful are signed with ashes, we hear, "Remember! You are dust and to dust you shall return." Ashes remind us of the Day of Judgment when we stand before God: "Repent, and believe the good news!" To prepare well for that day, we must die now to sin so that we can rise to new life in Christ. Being marked with ashes at the beginning of Lent indicates our need for deeper conversion of our lives during this season of repentance and renewal.
Wednesday 26 February 2020
Ash Wednesday. Day of Fast And Abstinence
Joel 2:12-18. Psalm 50(51):3-6, 12-14, 17. Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18.
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned – Psalm 50(51):3-6, 12-14, 17.
‘And whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.’
Joel 2:12-18. Psalm 50(51):3-6, 12-14, 17. Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18.
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned – Psalm 50(51):3-6, 12-14, 17.
‘And whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.’
If we want to find the right tone and focus for this Lent, we
can look to today’s first reading. The Lord is gracious and merciful. He is
calling out to us so he can bless us. Yes, there is ‘fasting, weeping and
mourning’ but not out of fear or anxiety (Joel 2:12.) They are meant to arise
from a heart that wants to know a deeper freedom from sin and fear.
Here is the key to finding God this Lent: a soft heart. That’s
why we are encouraged to fast, to pray and give to the poor during this season.
These practices help prepare our hearts to receive God’s blessings. We do them
because they help us feel the presence of God.
So let’s try our best to keep our hearts soft and open to the
Lord. Loving God, soften my heart toward you and the people around me.
Saint Maria Bertilla Boscardin
Saint of the Day for February 26
(October 6, 1888 – October 20, 1922)
 |
| Statue of Santa Bertilla | facade of Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Cagnano, Italy | photo by Threecharlie |
Saint Maria Bertilla Boscardin’s Story
If anyone knew rejection, ridicule and disappointment, it was
today’s saint. But such trials only brought Maria Bertilla Boscardin closer to
God and more determined to serve him.
Born in Italy in 1888, the young girl lived in fear of her
father, a violent man prone to jealousy and drunkenness. Her schooling was
limited so that she could spend more time helping at home and working in the
fields. She showed few talents and was often the butt of jokes.
In 1904, she joined the Sisters of Saint Dorothy and was
assigned to work in the kitchen, bakery and laundry. After some time Maria
received nurses’ training and began working in a hospital with children
suffering from diphtheria. There the young nun seemed to find her true
vocation: nursing very ill and disturbed children. Later, when the hospital was
taken over by the military in World War I, Sister Maria Bertilla fearlessly
cared for patients amidst the threat of constant air raids and bombings.
She died in 1922 after suffering for many years from a painful
tumor. Some of the patients she had nursed many years before were present at
her canonization in 1961.
Reflection
This fairly recent saint knew the hardships of living in an
abusive situation. Let us pray to her to help all those who are suffering from
any form of spiritual, mental, or physical abuse
Lectio Divina: Ash Wednesday
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Ash Wednesday
The meaning of prayer, almsgiving and fasting
The way to spend the time of Lent well
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
The meaning of prayer, almsgiving and fasting
The way to spend the time of Lent well
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
1. OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures
with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In
the light of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the
presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the
cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life
and of resurrection.
Create in us silence so that we may listen to Your voice in
creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor
and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we, too, like the two disciples
on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness
to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and
peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, Son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father
and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.
2. READING
a) A key to the reading:
The Gospel of Ash Wednesday is taken from the Sermon on the
Mount and offers us help in understanding the practice of the three works of
mercy: prayer, almsgiving and fasting and the way to spend the time of Lent
well. The manner of practicing these three works has changed over the
centuries, according to the culture and customs of people and their state of health.
Old people today still remember when there was a strict and compulsory fast of
forty days throughout Lent. In spite of changes in the practice of the works of
mercy, there still is the human and Christian obligation (i) to share our goods
with the poor (almsgiving), (ii) to live in contact with the Creator (prayer)
and (iii) to be able to control our urges and desires (fasting). The words of
Jesus on which we meditate can give us the necessary creativity to find new
forms of living these three practices so important in the life of Christians.
b) A division of the text to assist in the reading:
Matthew 6:1: A general key to the understanding of the teaching
that follows
Matthew 6:2: How not to go about almsgiving
Matthew 6:3-4: How to go about almsgiving
Matthew 6:5: How not to pray
Matthew 6:6: How to pray
Matthew 6:16: How not to fast
Matthew 6:17-18: How to fast
Matthew 6:2: How not to go about almsgiving
Matthew 6:3-4: How to go about almsgiving
Matthew 6:5: How not to pray
Matthew 6:6: How to pray
Matthew 6:16: How not to fast
Matthew 6:17-18: How to fast
c) Text:
Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform
righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no
recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet
before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win
the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But
when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so
that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will
repay you. "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see
them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray,
go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And
your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you fast, do not look
gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may
appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their
reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may
not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father
who sees what is hidden will repay you."
3. A MOMENT OF PRAYERFUL SILENCE
so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.
4. SOME QUESTIONS
to help us in our personal reflection.
a) What touched you or pleased you most in this text?
b) What is the meaning of Jesus’ initial warning?
c) What does Jesus criticize and teach about almsgiving? Make a resume for yourself.
d) What does Jesus criticize and teach about prayer? Make a resume for yourself.
e) What does Jesus criticize and teach about fasting? Make a resume for yourself.
a) What touched you or pleased you most in this text?
b) What is the meaning of Jesus’ initial warning?
c) What does Jesus criticize and teach about almsgiving? Make a resume for yourself.
d) What does Jesus criticize and teach about prayer? Make a resume for yourself.
e) What does Jesus criticize and teach about fasting? Make a resume for yourself.
5. FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO GO DEEPER INTO THE THEME
a) The context:
Jesus speaks of three things: almsgiving (Mt 6:1-6), prayer (Mt
6:5-15) and fasting (Mt 6:16-18). These were the three works of mercy of the
Jews. Jesus criticizes the fact that they practice these works to be seen by
others (Mt 6:1). He will not allow that the practice of justice and mercy be
used as a means to social promotion within the community (Mt 6:2, 5, 16). In
the words of Jesus there comes to light a new kind of relationship with God
that is revealed to us. He says, “Your Father who sees all that is done in
secret will reward you" (Mt 6:4),” Your Father knows what you need before
you ask Him” (Mt 6:8), “If you forgive others their failings, your heavenly
Father will forgive you yours” (Mt 6:14). Jesus presents us with a new way of
approaching the heart of God. A meditation on His words concerning the works of
mercy may help us discover this new way.
b) A commentary on the text:
Matthew 6:1: A general key to an understanding of the teaching
that follows
Jesus says, “ Be careful not to parade your uprightness in
public to attract attention; otherwise you will lose all reward from your
Father in heaven.” The justice referred to by Jesus is the place where
God wants us to be. The way there is found in the Law of God. Jesus warns that
it is not enough to observe the law so as to be praised by people. Earlier He
had said, “For I tell you, if your uprightness does not surpass that of the
scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of Heaven" (Mt
5:26). In reading these words we must not only think of the Pharisees of Jesus
time, but above all of the Pharisee that is dormant in each one of us. Had
Joseph, Mary’s spouse, followed the justice of the law of the Pharisees, he
would have had to renounce Mary. But he was just (Mt 1:19), and already possessed
the new justice proclaimed by Jesus. That is why he broke the ancient law and
saved Mary’s and Jesus’ lives. The new justice proclaimed by Jesus rests on
another foundation, springs from another source. We must build our peace from
the inside, not in what we do for God, but in what God does for us. This is the
general key to an understanding of the teaching of Jesus on the works of mercy.
In what follows, Matthew applies this general principle to the practice of
almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Didactically, he first expresses what must not
be and then immediately teaches what should be.
Matthew 6:2: How not to go about almsgiving
The wrong way of giving alms, then and now, is that of doing it
in public so as to be acknowledged and acclaimed by others. We often see on
pews of churches the words: Gift of such-and-such a family. On television,
politicians love to appear as great benefactors of humanity on occasions of
inaugurations of public works at the service of the community. Jesus says,
“Those who act thus have already had their reward.”
Matthew 6:3-4: How to go about almsgiving
The correct way of giving alms is this: Your left hand must not
know what your right hand is doing! In other words, we must give alms in such a
way that not even I must feel that I am doing something good that deserves a
reward from God and praise from others. Almsgiving is an obligation. It is a
way of sharing something that I have with those who have nothing. In a family,
what belongs to one belongs to all. Jesus praises the example of the widow who
gave of what was needed for herself (Mk 12:44).
Matthew 6:5: How not to pray
Speaking of the wrong way of praying, Jesus mentions some
strange practices and customs of His day. When the trumpet sounded for morning,
midday and evening prayer, there were those who sought to be in the middle of
the road to pray solemnly with arms outstretched so as to be seen by all and
thus be considered as pious people. Others took up extravagant poses in the
synagogue so as to draw the attention of the community.
Matthew 6:6: How to pray
So as to leave no doubt, Jesus over-emphasizes the manner of praying.
He says that we must pray in secret, only before God the Father. No one will
see you. Maybe before others you may even seem to be a person who does not
pray. This does not matter! Even of Jesus it was said, “He is not God!” That is
because Jesus often prayed at night and did not care what others thought. What
matters is to have one’s conscience at peace and to know that God is the Father
who welcomes me, not because of what I do for God or because of the
satisfaction that I seek in the eyes of others, who appreciate me as one who is
pious and prays.
Matthew 6:16: How not to fast
Jesus criticizes wrong practices concerning fasting. There were
those who bore a sad face, did not wash, wore torn clothes, did not comb their
hair, so that all could see that they were fasting in a perfect manner.
Matthew 6:17-18: How to fast
Jesus suggests the opposite: When you fast, put scent on your
head, wash your face, so that no one may know that you are fasting, only Your
Father who is in heaven.
As we said earlier, it is a new manner of accessing the heart of
God that is opening before our eyes. For our own interior peace, Jesus does not
ask what we do for God, but what God does for us. Almsgiving, prayer and
fasting are not currency to buy God’s favor, but are our response of gratitude
for the love received and experienced.
c) Further information:
i) The broader context of Matthew s Gospel
Matthew’s Gospel was written for a community of converted Jews
who were experiencing a deep crisis of identity in relation to their past.
After their conversion to Jesus, they continued to live according to their old
traditions and frequented the synagogue, together with their relatives and
friends, just as before. But they suffered because of the strong pressure from
their Jewish friends who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. This tension grew
after the year 70 AD. When in 66 AD the revolt of the Jews against Rome broke
out, two groups refused to take part, the Pharisees and the Jewish Christians.
Both groups held that going against Rome had nothing to do with the coming of
the Messiah, as some thought. After the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans
in the year 70, all the other Jewish groups disappeared. Only the Pharisees and
the Jewish Christians remained. Both groups claimed to be the heirs of the
promise of the prophets and, thus, the tension grew between brothers, because
of the inheritance. The Pharisees reorganized the rest of the people and took
an ever-stronger position against the Christians, who ended by being excommunicated
from the synagogues. This excommunication rekindled the whole problem of
identity. Now the Christians were officially and formally separated from the
people of the promise. They could no longer frequent their synagogue, their
rabbis. And they asked themselves, “Who are the real people of God: they or us?
On whose side is God? Is Jesus really the Messiah?”
Thus, Matthew writes his Gospel (1) for this group of
Christians, as a Gospel of consolation for those who had been excommunicated
and persecuted by the Jews, helping them to overcome the trauma of breaking
away; (2) as a Gospel of revelation, showing that Jesus is the true Messiah,
the new Moses, who fulfills the promises; (3) as a Gospel of the new practice,
showing how they must achieve true justice, greater than the justice of the
Pharisees.
ii) A key to the Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is the first of five sermons in
Matthew’s Gospel. It describes the conditions that will allow a person to enter
the Kingdom of God: the way in, the new reading of the law, the new way of
looking at and practicing the works of mercy; the new way of living in
community. In a word, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus communicates the new
way of looking at the things of Life and the Kingdom. The following is a
division that serves as a key to reading:
Mt 5:1-16: The way in
Mt 5:1-10: The eight Beatitudes help us to see where the kingdom
is already present (among the poor and persecuted) and where it will be soon
(among the other six groups).
Mt 5:12-16: Jesus addresses His words of consolation to His
disciples and warns that anyone who lives the beatitudes will be persecuted (Mt
5:11-12), but his or her life will have meaning because he/she will be the salt
of the earth (Mt 5:13) and the light of the world (Mt 5:14-16).
Mt 5:17-to-6:18: The new relationship with God: A new Justice
Mt 5:17-48: The new justice must be greater than that of the
Pharisees
Jesus radicalizes the law, that is, He brings it back to its
roots, to its main and ultimate purpose which is to serve life, justice, love
and truth. The commandments of the law point to a new way of life, avoided by
the Pharisees (Mt 5:17-20).
Jesus immediately presents various examples as to how the
commandments of the Law of God given to Moses are to be understood: “of old it
was said, but I say to you” (Mt 5:21-48)
Mt 6:1-18: The new justice must not seek reward or merit (This
is the Gospel of this Ash Wednesday).
Mt 6:19-34: The new relationship to the goods of this world: a
new vision of creation
Jesus comes to grips with the primary needs of life: food,
clothing, house and health. This is the part of life that causes most anxiety
in people. Jesus teaches how to relate to material goods and to the riches of
the world: do not accumulate goods (Mt 6:19-21); do not look at the world with
sad eyes (Mt 6:22-23); do not serve God and money at the same time (Mt 6:24);
do not worry about food and drink (Mt 6:23-34).
Mt 7:1-29: The new relationship with people: a new life in
community
Do not seek the straw in your brother’s eye (Mt 7:1-5); do not
cast pearls before swine (Mt 7:6); Do not be afraid of asking for things from
God (Mt 7:7-11); observe the golden rule (Mt 7:12); seek the narrow and
difficult path (Mt 7:13-14); be wary of false prophets (Mt 7:15-20); do not
just talk but do (Mt 7:21-23); the community built on these principles will
stand in spite of raging storms (Mt 7:24-27). The outcome of these words is a
new awareness in the face of the scribes and doctors (Mt 7:28-29).
6. PRAYER IN A PSALM: PSALM 40 (39)
Proclaiming the great justice of God
I waited, I waited for Yahweh,
then He stooped to me and heard my cry for help.
He pulled me up from the seething chasm,
from the mud of the mire.
He set my feet on rock,
and made my footsteps firm.
He put a fresh song in my mouth,
praise of our God.
Many will be awestruck at the sight,
and will put their trust in Yahweh.
How blessed are those who put their trust in Yahweh,
who have not sided with rebels
and those who have gone astray in falsehood.
How much You have done, Yahweh, my God
Your wonders, Your plans for us -- You have no equal.
I will proclaim and speak of them;
they are beyond number.
You wanted no sacrifice or cereal offering,
but You gave me an open ear,
You did not ask for burnt offering or sacrifice for sin;
then I said, “Here I am, I am coming.”
In the scroll of the book it is written of me,
my delight is to do Your will;
Your law, my God, is deep in my heart.
I proclaimed the saving justice of Yahweh in the great assembly.
See, I will not hold my tongue,
as You well know.
I have not kept Your saving justice locked in the depths of my heart,
but have spoken of Your constancy and saving help.
I have made no secret of Your faithful and steadfast love,
in the great assembly.
You, Yahweh, have not withheld Your tenderness from me;
Your faithful and steadfast love will always guard me.
For troubles surround me,
until they are beyond number;
my sins have overtaken me;
I cannot see my way.
They outnumber the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
Be pleased, Yahweh, to rescue me,
Yahweh, come quickly and help me!
Shame and dismay to all who seek to take my life.
Back with them,
let them be humiliated who delight in my misfortunes.
Let them be aghast with shame,
those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
But joy and happiness in You to all who seek You!
Let them ceaselessly cry,
“Great is Yahweh” who love Your saving power.
Poor and needy as I am,
the Lord has me in mind.
You, my helper, my Savior, my God, do not delay.
I waited, I waited for Yahweh,
then He stooped to me and heard my cry for help.
He pulled me up from the seething chasm,
from the mud of the mire.
He set my feet on rock,
and made my footsteps firm.
He put a fresh song in my mouth,
praise of our God.
Many will be awestruck at the sight,
and will put their trust in Yahweh.
How blessed are those who put their trust in Yahweh,
who have not sided with rebels
and those who have gone astray in falsehood.
How much You have done, Yahweh, my God
Your wonders, Your plans for us -- You have no equal.
I will proclaim and speak of them;
they are beyond number.
You wanted no sacrifice or cereal offering,
but You gave me an open ear,
You did not ask for burnt offering or sacrifice for sin;
then I said, “Here I am, I am coming.”
In the scroll of the book it is written of me,
my delight is to do Your will;
Your law, my God, is deep in my heart.
I proclaimed the saving justice of Yahweh in the great assembly.
See, I will not hold my tongue,
as You well know.
I have not kept Your saving justice locked in the depths of my heart,
but have spoken of Your constancy and saving help.
I have made no secret of Your faithful and steadfast love,
in the great assembly.
You, Yahweh, have not withheld Your tenderness from me;
Your faithful and steadfast love will always guard me.
For troubles surround me,
until they are beyond number;
my sins have overtaken me;
I cannot see my way.
They outnumber the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.
Be pleased, Yahweh, to rescue me,
Yahweh, come quickly and help me!
Shame and dismay to all who seek to take my life.
Back with them,
let them be humiliated who delight in my misfortunes.
Let them be aghast with shame,
those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
But joy and happiness in You to all who seek You!
Let them ceaselessly cry,
“Great is Yahweh” who love Your saving power.
Poor and needy as I am,
the Lord has me in mind.
You, my helper, my Savior, my God, do not delay.
7. FINAL PRAYER
Lord Jesus, we thank for the word that has enabled us to
understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions
and grant us the strength to practice what Your Word has revealed to us. May
we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You
who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and
ever. Amen.
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