So we are ambassadors for Christ, as
if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God. – 2 Corinthians 5:20
EMISSARY OF PEACE
A
robbery just took place in the neighborhood. Everyone was shouting in
anger, ranting at and accusing one another. Nobody knew who did it, but
they all had their suspicions. They lost money, watches, frying pans,
even cell phones, grocery items, and other small stuff.
It was as if a “tsunami” swept through the street that day.
Where were they when the robbery happened?
On that fateful morning, all eyes and ears were glued to the television
in the house of the barangay captain. While Manny Pacquiao was punching
away, the robber took advantage of the open doors in the whole street.
After an hour, the noise died down, and everyone was quiet and sad. One
man stood up, gathered the men, women and children and told them that
it was good that no one was home when the robbers came. Otherwise, some
could have been hurt or even killed. Like an ambassador of peace, he led
them to pray and thank God that they were all alive and unhurt and that
they had only lost material goods. Chelle S.Crisanto
1ST READING
The Prophet Joel
summarizes the message of all of the prophets when he encourages us to
make sure that we live the faith we proclaim. He also encourages
everyone to take seriously this call to holiness and ensure that we are
doing all that we can to live it, and to encourage those close to us to
do the same. Let us be faithful to this calling.
Joel 2:12-18
12 Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 13 rend
your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For
gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and
relenting in punishment. 14 Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, offerings and libations for the Lord, your God. 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; 16 gather
the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the
children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his
room, and the bride her chamber. 17 Between
the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep, and say, “Spare, O Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a
reproach, with the nations ruling over them! Why should they say among
the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ ” 18 Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.
P S A L M
Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17
R: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1 [3] Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 2 [4] Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. (R) 3 [5] For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: 4 [6] “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” (R) 10 [12] A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. 11 [13] Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R) 12 [14] Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. 15 [17] O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. (R)
2ND READING
What
does it mean to be an ambassador? It is a role of great responsibility;
it is both a privilege and a duty. The greatest message we have to
proclaim is that of reconciliation with God and others. We must take
this powerful message seriously, and we, Christians, should live it out
and become agents of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
20 Brothers
and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 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. 6: 1 Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For
he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of
salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold,
now is the day of salvation.
GOSPEL
What
matters most is that God sees what we do. The world tells us to make
sure that we get the proper acclaim for what we do, but it is the
opposite when it comes to working in the Kingdom of God. All the glory
should be given to the Lord. If we keep it to ourselves, we are in
danger of developing a messianic complex, i.e., we think we can save
ourselves, or worse, save others.
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
1 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. 2 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. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 “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. 6 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. 16 “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. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 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.”
REFLECTION
Ash Wednesday
FULLY ALIVE!
King
Mousaka is well-known for his legendary cooking talent. Royalties from
neighboring tribes travel far and wide to taste his delicious creations,
especially his grilled lamb. Two ministers went to the king’s palace
with excitement to sample his cooking. To prepare their palate, he served them a small
portion of salad with greens freshly picked from his garden. Minister 1
finished it with delight as he anticipated better things to come.
Minister 2 threw it away saying, “I don’t want this. I came here for the
real thing, not this measly appetizer!” Shocked and insulted, King
Mousaka ordered Minister 2 thrown out, saying, “My appetizer is just as
much my creation as is my grilled lamb. To reject it is to reject me as
well.”
It’s Ash Wednesday once more. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent,
40 days marked by self-denial and renunciation as preparation for Holy
Week, where we commemorate the passion and death of the Lord.
Self-denial and renunciation of the world is a legitimate path to
holiness.
Just a word of caution here. The season of Lent calls us to self-denial
and renunciation not because the self and the world are bad. They are
good, but we are cautioned that they are so good we treat them as God.
Genuine self-denial and renunciation should never be done out of an
attitude of contempt and disdain for the natural goodness of things.
This spirituality creates stoics out of God’s children. That is not
God’s joy. The saints know this. St. Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is
man fully alive.”
Genuine self-denial and renunciation is practiced in an attitude of
holy detachment, which says, “This world is beautiful. I will rejoice in
it, but I will not be possessed by it because more is to come. If
creation is good, how much better is the One who created it?” That is
the key. Minister 1 enjoyed the appetizer with an awareness that the
better part is coming. He rejoiced in it but he knows it is not the be
all and end all of his visit to the palace. That is why the King was
delighted to give him more. Fr. Joel Jason
"Father,
I embrace Your plan to make me fully alive, not only in Your kingdom
but even now while in this beautiful world You have created for me. Help
me to grow in holy detachment, that the goods of creation may always
lead me to You. Amen."
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