Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015

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During this season of Lent, we'll be sending out to you various resources for prayer, study and action. Below, you'll find a reflection for today, Ash Wednesday, by Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Joan Chittister, osb. The reflection is from The Glory of God Revealed: A Lenten Journal for Peacemakers, published by Pax Christi USA in the early 1980's. 

 

We have also set up a page for Lent 2015 on the site where we will archive reflections throughout the season and organize additional resources for individuals and groups, including prayers, prayer services, action opportunities, and information on undertaking a Way of the Cross event for Good Friday. You can find the page by clicking here. Tomorrow we'll send out our first Pray-Study-Act e-bulletin for the first week of Lent, and we'll post the reflection for this upcoming Sunday in case you'd like to see it ahead of time and incorporate it into your group meeting, family reflection, etc. Then throughout Lent, we'll post the upcoming Sunday reflection on the Tuesday of the week prior. 

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REFLECTION FOR ASH WEDNESDAY

By Joan Chittister, osb

 

Joel 2:12-18 | 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 | Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

 

Jesus' words make short shrift of public wrestling with inner goodness. "When you give alms, keep it a secret. When you pray, do it quietly. When you fast, don't look wan." The religion of Jesus, in other words, is not a religion of show. It is not a religion aimed at public approval. It is not even religion intent on the kind of pious exercise that is called witness. No, Jesus' words make Lent a way of life, rather than a ritual.

 

The message of Lent is clear: Alms are for self-giving; prayer is for personal growth in the mind of God; fasting is for self-discipline. What you get out of this kind of religion is not simply a change of liturgical cycles. What you get out of this kind of religion is a change of person. But when the person is changed then other actions will show it, and not all of them will be called "religious" by establishment types....

 

To read the entire reflection, click here.

In Christ's peace,

 

Johnny Zokovitch

Director of Communications, Pax Christi USA


P.S. To see more resources for Lent, visit us at http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/lent-2015/.