Ash Wednesday 6th March, 2019.
Photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Psalm: Ps 50:3-6. 12-14. 17. "Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel Acclamation: cf Ps 94:8
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18
Homily
Blessing and Distribution of Ashes
Distribution of Ashes
Song
Prayer of the Faithful
+++++++
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for ASH WEDNESDAY 6th March, 2019. by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ash-wednesday-2019/s-vVCvx (EPISODE:144)
+++++
It is a bit surprising to discover that Lent is described by the church as a "joyful season" .. a gift from God..... a time of joyful waiting. And so it is! Even though it is also a time of Prayer, Penance and Good Works; Which are three aspects of the one thing.
From ancient times this Lenten observance reflects the three central concerns we have in life: Our duty to God (prayer), our duty to our bodies (fasting) and our duty to others (almsgiving).
The purpose of fasting and abstinence is not to punish ourselves, nor is it a time of testing our willpower and personal strength, but rather, it is to teach us detachment from whatever may keep us from a closer connection to God. In self-denial and in giving of our time to more prayer and good works, our hearts move even closer to God. Distractions like excess food or any other things that take up our time and energy are avoided, helping us become more focused, attentive and charitable.
In this Lenten fasting, we also remember and imitate the example of Jesus, who fasted 40 days in the wilderness, as he prepared to begin his life-giving ministry.
For us also, its also a recognition that sin has not only personal consequences but also sin has communal dimensions - and so Lent provides us as a community a means of expressing our common repentance. #
Lent is a six-week gift to the church from God…. As a time of nurturing positive habits of prayer, self-denial and giving of our time and resources for worthy causes… to build up our spiritual health…. and build up good spiritual habits and attitudes that become so automatic and natural to us that we do them without hesitation, and for no other reason than our love for God, so that as the reading says today....our left-hand does not know what our right hand is doing.
We have been given such treasures and gifts by God and they are priceless. We are sorry that sometimes we don't recognise the treasure from God and confuse it with the rubbish and static of OTHER things that distract our attention./
The only gifts worth having are actually the ones we give away./ The kind of gifts that are pretty useless if locked away and not used. /Gifts like love, given freely without expectation, kindness and forgiveness without hoping for something in return…. acts of charity, not for recognition or approval, but from the love of God welling up inside us. Random acts of kindness and compassion, that no one will ever know we are the ones responsible for.//
The gospel has a lot of wisdom in it… those things are done for no other reason but the love of God and not for anything else, call us to a deep inner movement of the heart towards God because it does not get any other reward but to serve and love God in each other… actions for the glory and praise of God alone…
So, let's make this time of lent the wonderful, Joy-filled gift that it really is. A time of peaceful self-denial and of making space for God… fostering positive habits that will last well beyond forty days.....and may God who has begun this good work in us, bring it to perfection… in the secret of our own hearts…
+++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
#Elizabeth Harrington – Liturgy Brisbane © Liturgybrisbane.
Barclay
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
Photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash
"Faith, Hope, and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful FROM Roman Missal (ed III) appendix.
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
ASH WEDNESDAY – MASS CHOICES
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
My friends in Christ, to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us first acknowledge our sins.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, Have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Preface: Lent III
Eucharist Prayer II
++++
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Photo by Ahna Ziegler on UnsplashTHE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Joel 2:12-18
Psalm: Ps 50:3-6. 12-14. 17. "Be Merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned."
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2
Gospel Acclamation: cf Ps 94:8
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6. 16-18
Homily
Blessing and Distribution of Ashes
Distribution of Ashes
Song
Prayer of the Faithful
+++++++
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for ASH WEDNESDAY 6th March, 2019. by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ash-wednesday-2019/s-vVCvx (EPISODE:144)
+++++
It is a bit surprising to discover that Lent is described by the church as a "joyful season" .. a gift from God..... a time of joyful waiting. And so it is! Even though it is also a time of Prayer, Penance and Good Works; Which are three aspects of the one thing.
From ancient times this Lenten observance reflects the three central concerns we have in life: Our duty to God (prayer), our duty to our bodies (fasting) and our duty to others (almsgiving).
The purpose of fasting and abstinence is not to punish ourselves, nor is it a time of testing our willpower and personal strength, but rather, it is to teach us detachment from whatever may keep us from a closer connection to God. In self-denial and in giving of our time to more prayer and good works, our hearts move even closer to God. Distractions like excess food or any other things that take up our time and energy are avoided, helping us become more focused, attentive and charitable.
In this Lenten fasting, we also remember and imitate the example of Jesus, who fasted 40 days in the wilderness, as he prepared to begin his life-giving ministry.
For us also, its also a recognition that sin has not only personal consequences but also sin has communal dimensions - and so Lent provides us as a community a means of expressing our common repentance. #
Lent is a six-week gift to the church from God…. As a time of nurturing positive habits of prayer, self-denial and giving of our time and resources for worthy causes… to build up our spiritual health…. and build up good spiritual habits and attitudes that become so automatic and natural to us that we do them without hesitation, and for no other reason than our love for God, so that as the reading says today....our left-hand does not know what our right hand is doing.
We have been given such treasures and gifts by God and they are priceless. We are sorry that sometimes we don't recognise the treasure from God and confuse it with the rubbish and static of OTHER things that distract our attention./
The only gifts worth having are actually the ones we give away./ The kind of gifts that are pretty useless if locked away and not used. /Gifts like love, given freely without expectation, kindness and forgiveness without hoping for something in return…. acts of charity, not for recognition or approval, but from the love of God welling up inside us. Random acts of kindness and compassion, that no one will ever know we are the ones responsible for.//
The gospel has a lot of wisdom in it… those things are done for no other reason but the love of God and not for anything else, call us to a deep inner movement of the heart towards God because it does not get any other reward but to serve and love God in each other… actions for the glory and praise of God alone…
So, let's make this time of lent the wonderful, Joy-filled gift that it really is. A time of peaceful self-denial and of making space for God… fostering positive habits that will last well beyond forty days.....and may God who has begun this good work in us, bring it to perfection… in the secret of our own hearts…
+++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
#Elizabeth Harrington – Liturgy Brisbane © Liturgybrisbane.
Barclay
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
Photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash
"Faith, Hope, and Love, A time of Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.
[{selected psalms } - ***Psalm verses are (also) taken from "The Psalms: A New Translation" ©1963, The Grail (England), published by Collins.. **]
Prayers of the Faithful FROM Roman Missal (ed III) appendix.
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme Hymn: Original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.
For more details please visit http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources.
May God bless and keep you.
ASH WEDNESDAY – MASS CHOICES
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
My friends in Christ, to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us first acknowledge our sins.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, Have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Preface: Lent III
Eucharist Prayer II
++++
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
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