“Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Wednesday 5th March 2025 – MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-18.
So, today is Ash Wednesday and it signifies the beginning of the season of Lent for the year 2025.
Today, we present ourselves to be marked with ashes on our forehead.
The receiving of ash on the forehead is a practice that is available to all.
This implies that both Catholic faithful and non-Catholics alike are permitted to be marked with ashes on their forehead.
This practice is also available to even those who are of other religions as well as atheists.
The significance of receiving ashes on our forehead is an indication of our sinfulness and mortality.
That is why at the point of receiving the ashes, the administering minister says, “You are dust and on to dust you shall return.”
Simply put, the above statement implies that, as a sinful man, remember that one day you will die.
Then, I add for emphasis sake, “That day we do not know. We must prepare for it now.”
The Lenten season stands on a tripod of fasting and abstinence, almsgiving and prayer. Note that, fasting and abstinence are one.
It is not really that we haven’t been living these out in our everyday life, however, this is the season we should and must improve on it without waning.
Finally, while being charitable in almsgiving, Christ Jesus enjoins us in today’s teaching that we should and must be discrete about it.
Christ says further that, those times we deplore the cameras while giving and subsequently display the images of us giving on social media platforms, those uuhs and aahs as well as the likes that we get tend to be the only reward that accrues to us.
E no suppose be like that!
Have a fantastic day folks.
#Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
5th March 2025.