Ash Wednesday

Opening Prayer

Lord, grant that I may see you more clearly,
love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly,
day by day.

Scripture

Luke 1:26-38 NRSVue

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

The angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary in the humble town of Nazareth reveals God’s tendency to work through the most unexpected and seemingly insignificant places and people. Mary’s initial perplexity transforms into a profound acceptance of her role in God’s plan. Her response, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word,” teaches us to embrace God’s will with trust and humility, even when it defies our understanding. We are reminded that God’s plans often surpass human expectations and that our willingness to say “yes” can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

The announcement that Mary will conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to Jesus, who will be both fully divine and fully human, underscores the deep mystery of the Incarnation. This pivotal moment in history signifies God’s profound love and commitment to humanity, bridging the divine and human realms. Reflecting on Mary’s unwavering faith and the Incarnation encourages us to deepen our own faith and recognise the presence of God in our everyday lives. We are called to embody this mystery by bringing the love and light of Christ into our world through our actions and relationships.

Contemplation

I take a few moments to imagine the scene from the Gospel story I just read. I let the words come alive in my heart. I visualise the event as if I was there and part of the story. I pay attention to all the details, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, the smells, and the feelings of the event. I imagine myself as one of the characters in the scene or as myself present in the story. What message does Jesus have for me? How is God speaking to me personally through this story? I open my heart to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving

I ask God, the Father, to give me an intimate knowledge of the many gifts I have received,

so that filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty.

Fellow Pilgrims

In the silence of the night Love Itself stole down unseen to embrace the hearts of all.

– Canice Egan SJ

Closing Prayer

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Amen.