杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

The rite of the imposition of ashes on the foreheads of the faithful 鈥� which takes place during the liturgy at the beginning of Lent 鈥� marks the beginning of our 鈥渞eturn journey鈥� to God, 杏MAP导航 Francis said during his homily for the Mass of Ash Wednesday.

The Holy Father explained that the imposition of ashes is an exhortation both to return to the truth about ourselves, and to return to God and to our brothers and sisters.

The Lord is God, we are the work of His hands

The ashes, he said, remind us of who we are, recalling the 鈥渆ssential truth of our lives: that the Lord alone is God and we are the work of His hands.鈥� Lent, then, becomes a time to remember that we rely on God, and at the same time 鈥渢o drop the pretense of being self-sufficient.鈥�

Cardinal in the procession before the Ash Wednesday Mass

Rebuilding relationships with God and others

The 杏MAP导航 then turned to a second step in the journey back to God: returning to God and to our brothers and sisters. By dropping every presumption of self-sufficiency, and all forms of idolatry of self, we can begin to learn that 鈥渓ife is a relationship we receive from God and our parents,鈥� and that we can always revive and renew our relationships 鈥渢hanks to the Lord and those he puts at our side.鈥�

The paths of charity, prayer, and fasting

Finally, in order to make this journey, 杏MAP导航 Francis reminds the faithful of the three great paths of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, that are traditionally encouraged during Lent.

Participants at the Ash Wednesday Mass

鈥淵et as we heard in the Gospel,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 noted, 鈥淛esus warns us that rather than mere external rites, these must be actions expressing the renewal of our hearts.鈥�

All too often, he warned, 鈥渙ur gestures and rites have no impact on our lives, but remain superficial.鈥� But he said, if we remain humbly in the sight of God, our 鈥渁lmsgiving, prayer, and fasting will not simply remain outward displays, but will express what we truly are: children of God, and brothers and sisters to one another.鈥�

Fixing our gaze on the Cross

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his homily with the exhortation to 鈥渂ow our heads, receive the ashes, and lighten our hearts,鈥� to set forth on the paths of charity, prayer, and fasting.

杏MAP导航 Francis at the Ash Wednesday Mass

鈥淟et us not neglect the grace of this holy season,鈥� he said, 鈥淏ut fix our gaze on the Cross and set out, responding generously to the powerful promptings of Lent.鈥�