Ash Wednesday Meditation
Lent 2025
Extraordinary Jubilee Year: Holy Year
2025 is the 2,025th anniversary of the
incarnation of the Lord.
Celebrating HOPE
ALL
ANSWERS SHOULD BE SPECIFIC AND IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.
Wednesday March 5th Ash Wednesday
Reading 1 Joel 2:12-18
Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole
heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; 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. Perhaps he will again
relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD,
your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly; 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. 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?'" Then the LORD was stirred to
concern for his land and took pity on his people.
1. How
does this reading from Joel express hope to you? Be specific (I find the
reading expresses hope when it states: “for gracious and merciful is he, slow
to anger”. This is hope because I can mess up and know God will be patient with
me.)
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2. As
you think about your Fasting from to Feast on: How does what you are fasting
from help to bring the Hope of Christ in your life and others?
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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we
have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion
wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: "Against you
only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast
me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O
Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
1. How does sin block hope?
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2. Why should a person ask for mercy?
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3. How do you know when you have a
contrite heart?
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Reading 2 2
Corinthians 5:20—6:2
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. 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. Working together, then, we
appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 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.
1. What
is this verse saying to you?
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2. How
do you find Hope in this verse?
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3. Explain
what salvation means to you?
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Verse Before the Gospel
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
What does it mean to harden your heart? __________________________________________________________________________________________
Gospel Matthew 6:1-6,
16-18
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."
1. What
is this reading saying to you specifically at this time in your life? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What
is Jesus cautioning against?
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3. How
does this reading tell us what hope is and what hope isn’t? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What
do you need from God right now to accomplish you fasting?
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