A late Ash Wednesday reflection from guest blogger Teresa Jeschke

Happy Ash Wednesday!  Yes, may our Lenten season be joy-filled and may we give all glory to God during this precious liturgical season.

 

At 6:30 am Mass today I heard the best Ash Wednesday homily and it was as though Jesus was speaking right to me!  I am a Hospitality Minister at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish here in Ellicott City and when the call went out for ministers for today’s four Masses, oddly enough I chose 6:30 am…odd because all previous years I’ve attended the 7:00 pm Mass.  I even hesitated a few minutes prior to signing up on-line because, well….it’s 6:30 am Mass which meant getting up early on a day I work from home!

 

But, as I should have recognized at that moment, God already had this planned for me.

 

Arriving at the church, it was dark and extremely cold, and I was only the 3^rdperson there at 6:00.  As more of my faith family arrived, the joy in my soul was bubbling up and out and was recognized by many who said that I was the right one for the early Mass because I was so happy and welcoming….which I was truly feeling.  Our God is such an awesome God.

 

So, the homily which was given by Fr. Jim Sorra, our guest for awhile and who is the Archdiocese’s Vocations Director, was about remembering why we are doing the things we’re doing during Lent.  That, if I am giving up sweets so that my clothes are not so tight come spring or if I am giving more to charity so that I feel better about myself, then I am no better than the hypocrites in today’s Gospel because I am doing these things for me and making Lent all about me.  Anything I choose to do during Lent should only be done for the glory of God and His Kingdom.

 

Yikes!

 

It was as though I had confessed this to Fr. Sorra and he was counseling me because as I had pondered a few weeks ago what I wanted to do for Lent, the first thought was to give up sweets and junk food because those are my nemesis, and well, it will help me lose those pounds I need to for the weddings I’ve got coming up this summer.

 

Could our Lord have been talking any more directly to me?!?!?!?

 

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ…..and please create in me, O God, a clean heart.