Foreign welcome to Reflections on Today’s Gospel. Today we celebrate Ash Wednesday. The reading is from Matthew 6, first through the fourth verse and 16 through the 18th verse. Jesus said to his disciples, take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people see them. Otherwise you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win praise from others.

Amen. I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your almsgiving may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen. I say to you, they’ve received their reward.

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglected their appearance so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen. I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you may not appear to be fasting except to your Heavenly Father who is hidden.

And your Father, who sees what is hidden, will repay you. Father, you invite us into our hearts the place where you promised you would dwell with us. In that place we tend to think about what it is we need to say to you. But what I’m inviting you to do is to ponder this inner room, to enter into it, but to listen, to listen to what he wants to say to you. There’s something about privacy in a relationship, and that’s what this reading is all about. We have this amazing, intimate, private relationship with God.

Sam Sa Sam Sat Sam the closing prayer. Father, we begin today a season of reflection, season of being open to who you are. Bless us during this time that we may be disciplined. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.