Hello everyone! Heyo! Welcome back to Scattering Flowers with Elise and Miles, a podcast where we read the daily Gospels and the Saint of the Day.
Let’s get started! Today is Wednesday, February 18th, and it’s also Ash Wednesday, and the Gospel reading is Mark 6, 16-18, and the scripture to reflect on is Matthew 6, 18. That your fasting may not be seen by men, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Ash Wednesday is the first day in the season of Lent.
It is a beautiful way to remember Jesus' sacrifice for us and prepare us for the Easter season.
During Lent, we remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert being tempted by the devil.
We do extra prayers, fasting, and almsgiving during this season of Lent. Ash Wednesday has many traditions for Catholic families and ways to observe this day.
Some traditions we follow are going to Mass.
In the United States, Ash Wednesday is actually not a holy day of obligation, but my mom always says it’s a great way to kick off Lent and it’s an important day. Everyone gets ashes.
Everyone that goes to Mass gets ashes, even the babies.
We remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return.
Fast.
So there are only two days that Catholic Church requires fasting when you reach a certain age.
At our house, all of us, no matter what age, don’t have meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent, and we skip snacking all day on Ash Wednesday.
Choose what to give up for Lent.
Sometimes thinking about giving up something isn’t easy, and you might wonder why we have to do it, but it’s really because we want to put our focus more on Jesus throughout Lent.
My mom even joked that it can be simple as your lucky favorite pair of socks.
Socks?
Why socks?
But if those are your favorite and you’re always thinking about them, why not tuck them away for 40 days and think about Jesus instead?
Did you know that the ashes we use on Ash Wednesday are burned up palms from last Palm Sunday?
Why do we get ashes on our foreheads?
As a reminder of our own mortality.
That’s a big word.
Mortality means we are all going to die someday. Do you think Lent is a little confusing or sometimes something you complain or roll your eyes about?
I do.
I will be honest, but it’s not just about giving something up.
It’s about doing extra things during Lent.
We can add more prayer, fasting, almsgiving into our lives.
We can choose things that can make us more healthy physically, emotionally, and spiritually, that make us stronger in our faith, and hopefully help us make good habits that will keep going even after Lent.
Add extra prayer each morning.
Give up your favorite food.
Give up your favorite drink.
Give up a bad habit and extra prayer each night.
We can also add extra things that can help people around us keep going with the Lenten promise, even if you have slipped up.
Tomorrow is a new day.
That’s what it’s like being a Christian because we will fail again and again, and that’s why we need Jesus. Let’s pray.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dear God, help us to remember to commit time to prayer, fasting, and our time to you so that we can grow closer to you.
And help me to try to live a holy life like you, and remember that it’s only you that we should please.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Thank you so much for listening.
We’ll be back tomorrow scattering more flowers.
See ya! Happy Lent!