images for ash wednesday imposition of ashes black and white

It is like a bitter-tasting medicine, he added, 'effective for curing the illness of appearances, a spiritual illness that enslaves us and makes us dependent on the admiration of others.' Jesus warns us that 'even prayer, charity, and fasting can become self-referential,' the Pope points out, and we must strive to overcome our often hidden self-complacency, and unmask and recognize our own hypocrisies.

The rite of receiving ashes on our heads celebrated today, the Pope notes, protects us 'from the error of putting the reward received from others ahead of the reward we receive from the Father,' and marks an 'austere sign,' that helps us appreciate the transience of our human condition. In his homily prepared for the occasion, which was read by Cardinal Parolin, Pope Francis underscored that prayer, charity, and fasting are 'medicines' not only for ourselves but for all, and 'they can change history' and are the 'principal ways for God to intervene in our lives and in the world.' And on this day of prayer and fasting for Ukraine, 'we implore from God that peace which men and women are incapable of building by themselves.' May the Lord hear these prayers, especially the lowly and suffering who are fleeing the violence, the Pope writes, and 'restore peace to our heart once again, grant your peace to our days.' Two kinds of rewardĪt the start of his homily, the Pope notes that, as heard in the Gospel at today's liturgy, we need to beware of practicing our piety in order to be seen and praised by others, when instead we should seek from the Father the 'eternal, the true and ultimate reward, the purpose of our lives.' The reward from others instead is 'ephemeral' and is inward-looking, he notes, seeking out admiration for ourselves which is an illusion that leaves us unfulfilled.Īsh Wednesday procession from Church of Saint Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina Ash Wednesday celebration at Rome's Basilica of Santa Sabina

Images for ash wednesday imposition of ashes black and white