Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-56) - Repent, and believe in the Gospel

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today is Ash Wednesday. During the distribution of ashes, the minister has two options: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return." After reflecting on today's readings and Fr. Doug's homily, I decided to use "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" as I Cross the people's foreheads with ashes.

With two wars raging and other conflicts in world, political discord, the crisis at the border, and the direction that society is moving, the Holy Spirit put on my heart the need for all of us to "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" once again with our words and deeds. "Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned." Oh how great it would be if we were like the people of Ninevah and our leaders like the king of Ninevah (Jonah 3) and repent.

It is never too late for us for repent - to turn away from sin and turn to God - "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart. . . return to the Lord, your God,. For gracious and merciful is he,, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment" - the Prophet Joel tells us in today's first reading. Indeed, ". . .now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation," Saint Paul tells us.

Let us "be reconciled to God" this #Lent through the faithful observances of pray, fast, and almsgiving. Let our motivation to desire to repent and believe in the Gospel to be this: "For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him."

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Jl 2:12-18, 2 Cor 5:20-6:2 and Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 (below).

. . .

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.

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.

"When you pray,

do not be like the hypocrites,

who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on 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.

"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."