Ash Wednesday
For the sake of continuity, we again imagine ourselves in the boat with Jesus and the disciples as He continues to teach us about the integrity of conscience. It’s not by coincidence of course that the Scripture readings for today focus on the need for repentance and metanoia (turning back to the Lord). Today is Ash Wednesday, the first of forty days (forty has always been a sacred number) as the worldwide Church calls us to the personal honesty and integrity preparing us for the Paschal Mystery, the Resurrection. This ancient period of preparation has always been taken seriously with the extra efforts of prayer, fasting and acts of community service.
Our Gospel for today feeds our imagination of sharing the boat with Jesus and the disciples. This was a private moment, and Jesus spoke directly to his chosen friends without mincing any words. We are privileged to hear his teaching: cut out the phony stuff of showcasing your good deeds and prayers. Cut out playing to the crowd in synagogues and street corners. Pray behind closed doors to the Father with sincerity of heart. The narrow space of the boat must have felt very confining for the disciples as Jesus made direct eye contact with them. There was nowhere to go. What about us? Lent 2026 may be our best forty days of intense listening and adjusting our lifestyle whether in the boat with Jesusor standing on the shore.
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections