Mar 05, About Today for Wednesday of the 0th week of Lent

Ash Wednesday

“Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near,” (James 5:8). [1][2]

Today is Ash Wednesday and the start of a new Lenten season. Pope Francis encourages the faithful to live “in the presence of the Father [who] gives us a much deeper joy than worldly glory can give us. May our attitude this Lent be one of living in secret where the Father sees us, loves us and waits for us. Naturally, exterior things are important too, but we must always choose to live in the presence of God.

Let us do what we can, in prayer, in sacrifice, and in acts of charity, humbly before God. This way we will be worthy of God the Father’s reward.” May each of us have a blessed Lent.[3]

[1] New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
[2] Irish Province of Society of Jesus, Sacred Space for Lent 2015, (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2015).
[3] Pope Francis, Audio-message to the young people of the Prelature of the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii., www.vatican.va.