First reading Joel 2:12-18
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn
‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –
come back to me with all your heart,
fasting, weeping, mourning.’
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,
turn to the Lord your God again,
for he is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent.
Who knows if he will not turn again, will not relent,
will not leave a blessing as he passes,
oblation and libation
for the Lord your God?
Sound the trumpet in Zion!
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly,
call the people together,
summon the community,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
even the infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his bedroom
and the bride her alcove.
Between vestibule and altar let the priests,
the ministers of the Lord, lament.
Let them say,
‘Spare your people, Lord!
Do not make your heritage a thing of shame,
a byword for the nations.
Why should it be said among the nations,
“Where is their God?”’
Then the Lord, jealous on behalf of his land,
took pity on his people.
Responsorial Psalm 50(51):3-6,12-14,17
Second reading 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Be reconciled to God
We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.
Gospel Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
Your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’
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Return to God with our hearts
Ash Wednesday invites us to return to God with our whole heart. Through the prophet Joel, the Lord calls us not to external displays, but to an interior conversion: “Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn.” It is a loving summons to come back to Him with humility, trusting in His mercy and compassion.
In the Gospel, Jesus deepens this call by reminding us that almsgiving, fasting, and prayer are not meant for show. True conversion happens in the hidden places of the heart, where God alone sees and transforms us. When our actions are sincere, they draw us closer to God rather than drawing attention to ourselves. The ashes we receive today are a quiet but powerful sign: we are fragile, in need of grace, and yet deeply loved. Lent begins not with fear or sadness, but with hope because God is always ready to forgive and renew us. As Pope Francis reminds us: “Lent is a time of grace, a time of conversion. It is a time to change our hearts.” May this Ash Wednesday help us return to the Lord with trust, simplicity, and a renewed desire to walk in His ways.
Reflective question:
As I begin this Lenten journey, what is God inviting me to change in my heart quietly and sincerely, so that I may return to Him with deeper trust and love?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
