5 March — Ash Wednesday

Readings — Jl. 2:12-18; Ps. 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17; Mt. 6:1-6, 16-18.

1. Lent in Latin is called Quadragesima, or "fortieth," echoing the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the desert and overcoming Satan's temptations before beginning his public ministry. Lent begins today, Ash Wednesday, and ends on the evening of Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Sacred Triduum.

2. Our ORDO notes that, during the Lenten Season, catechumens are prepared for the celebration of the sacraments of Christian initiation, while the faithful prepare themselves by prayer and penance for the renewal of their baptismal promises (Ceremoniale Episcoporum, 249).

Ash Wednesday and the days of Holy Week take precedence over all solemnities and feasts. The "Alleluia" is not sung or recited from the beginning of Lent until the Easter Vigil. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence in the Church. Fasting is required from ages 18 to 60. Abstinence is required from age 18 (Code of Canon Law, 1252).

On Ash Wednesday, ashes are blessed and imposed. The ashes are of palms blessed during the previous Palm Sunday. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion may assist with the imposition of ashes. One of the following formulas may be used: "Repent and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

3. Early Christianity records the tradition of fasting, as attested by St. Augustine, St. Athanasius, and other Church Fathers. The fasting for 40 days was to prepare for the great event of Easter. Three traditional practices and sacrifices are enjoined for this preparation: prayer (justice toward God); fasting and abstinence (justice toward self); almsgiving and charitable works (justice toward our neighbors).

4. Abstinence from alcohol is a remembrance of the "sacred thirst" of Christ on the Cross. It is important to prepare for Lent to have a self-examination to consider what wrongs we need to repent and what amendments of life, Lenten resolutions, we need to do. Therefore, sacramental confession during Lent is strongly recommended as a preparation for Easter.

5. 1st Reading, Jl. 2:12-18 — The "Minor Prophet," Joel prophesied in the southern kingdom of Judah. But to this day, the time of his prophecy is still unresolved. If "the day of the Lord" refers to a plague of locust (see Jl. 1), then the prophecy was made during the reign of King Joash in the 9th century.

If the prophecy refers to a horde or army (Jl. 2), then the prophecy was post-exilic, i,e., after the Babylonian exile, 5th century. His prophecy is a warning of disaster to Jerusalem, the "day of the Lord."

"Blow the horn in Zion.... Let all the inhabitants on the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming!" (v. 1).