Ash Wednesday Gospel reading

[sekarpa]

Why is it that the one day each year that we publicly mark ourselves as Catholics by applying ashes to our forheads is also the one time each year we hear Jesus tell us not to call attention to ourselves and to pray in private?

 

[LilyM]

Why is it that the one day each year that we publicly mark ourselves as Catholics by applying ashes to our forheads is also the one time each year we hear Jesus tell us not to call attention to ourselves and to pray in private?

Well we don’t usually make our fasting public, do we? Not unless we go out to dinner and someone asks us why we’re not ordering steak or dessert or something? And certainly not our prayer. Just the ashes :yup:

And that’s about silent preaching to OTHERS about the need for repentance and self-denial rather than advertising the fact that we’re doing anything special ourselves. We’re saying we’re sinners and hopefully reminding others that they are too, not that we’re extra great or holy.

 

[water]

welcome sekarpa to the forums

While others will explain you better, I could give you a short experience.

Having the Cross sign on your forehead is not about showing off but it is all about evangelizing your faith. Did you know that somebody was reminded that she/he needed to go to Mass today for seeing the Cross mark on somebody else’s forehead. Yup!

Also, having the mark on, I let people know that God is love and I am not ashamed of Him - or being a Catholic.

Do people know that I was fasting today? No! They had no idea because I was smiling all the time - no sign of being starving.

 

[guanophore]

Why is it that the one day each year that we publicly mark ourselves as Catholics by applying ashes to our forheads is also the one time each year we hear Jesus tell us not to call attention to ourselves and to pray in private?

I was wondering the exact same thing at Mass this morning!