Ash Wednesday

March 6, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Joel 2: 12-18

Psalm: 51

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5: 20-6: 2

Gospel reading according to Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

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We are now entering the Holy Week, starting with Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent.  This Wednesday we will be receiving ashes in our forehead as a sign of our penance, “pagbabalik-loob,” coming home, and sorrow for our sins through fasting and abstinence.  The ashes in our foreheads, nevertheless, are not for fad and fashion or for show to others, but rather our acceptance of our redemption and salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ who will suffer and die for us on the Cross – the Tree of Life. 

 Aside from ashes, there are many things Jews and even Catholic Christians, Protestants and Muslims, and other religions are doing in showing their religiosity.  They are practicing the traditions they received from their elders and priests and imams which sometimes make them more fanatics and fundamentalists. Also they become eye-catching in expressing their devoutness in order that others may see their actuation instead of their faith.  So Jesus was teaching his disciples and us as well, of their peculiarity in performing their religious practices, duties and obligations and not exaggerating them in carrying out of these duties and responsibilities.  “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” (Mt. 6: 1).  Jesus was reminding his disciples to be careful in doing righteous (religious) deeds otherwise they/we will not receive reparation and restitution from our heavenly Father.  These deeds they/we perform will not turn into entertainment and showbiz, “palabas, sarsuela at moro-moro” in the eyes of others who see these performances rather as boast, brag, avowal, pretentions, “pakitang-tao,” but instead of making other people be inspired and become closer to God, and God our heavenly Father will recompense and/or reward us because of our self-effacement, humility and straightforwardness.

Jesus gave his disciples three examples of righteous deeds or pillars of acts of mercy that they and we must be careful to observe in public.  First was giving alms. “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” (Mt. 6: 2-4).  It is good to give alms, to help and support others in need; it refreshes the mind, spirit and body, and makes us light in carrying our burdens.  It also lessen if not washes our sins away.  But if we perform our almsgiving in public so that many people may see our goodness to others, that is bragging and boasting our ego, for people will give us clap and even praises and surprise of our charity.  So, we received already from people applause instead of rewards coming from God who is the source of all goodness.

Second deed Jesus told his disciples, and us, to be careful in performing it in public was prayer.  “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the 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” (Mt. 6: 5-6).  Prayer is one way of communicating with God, talking to Him as well as listening to Him.  Praying makes us closer to God.  In prayer, God answers our requests and sincere desires of our hearts, in humility and simplicity.   But if we pray in prominent and open places to show to others how pious we are and where people can see us obviously, they will give us praises and our ego will be boasted, that is “blow your own trumpet,” we then received our rewards from people’s admiration of our piety, rather than receiving rewards from God we are praying.  Jesus was teaching his disciples that when we pray, go to our room, close the door and pray to God whom we worship and adore.  He who listens to our prayers in secret is the one whom we expect responding them as our rewards.     

Third deed Jesus taught to his disciples was fasting.  “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” (Mt. 6: 16-18).  Nowadays, fasting is for dieting to make ones slim, sexy and fit not as suppressing the gluttony not only of food but even material things, like wealth, money, power, authority, control, influence, and all of our rapaciousness, voraciousness, “katakawan”. Jesus was teaching his disciples moderation in everything, even the food we eat.  We have to consider also those people who have nothing in their tables, those who are hungry and thirsty, poor, marginalized, exploited, deprived, excluded, etc., when we are eating.  We have to consider the farmers who produce palay but they do not have even NFA rice.  The fishermen who catch fishes but nether dried fish (tuyo) do not have as viand.  The carpenters who build houses have no either Nipa huts or squat-size houses (tagpi-tagping kahoy na dingding at yerong kinalawang na bubong) to rest their tired bodies and their families to stay.  Fasting is giving to others we do not eat or we do not wear or we do not really need.  So that others may have something to eat, to wear, and to live.      

These three good deeds or righteousness or pillars of acts of mercy make us holy and rewarding in the eyes of God who is good, loving, merciful and compassionate  Lord and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father.