Mark 6:1-6, 16-18

Joel 2:12-18

Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

Mark 6:1-6, 16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Take care not to perform righteous deeds

in order that people may 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 the praise of 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 is doing,

so that your almsgiving may be secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“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 have received their reward.

But when you pray, go to your inner room,

close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,

do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

They neglect 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 Father who is hidden.

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, at the beginning of this season of Lent, I ask that you help me live these forty days in a spirit of repentance, contrition, and self-denial. I want to be victorious in the battle against sin, and I know that I can be with your grace.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Combatting Greed with Almsgiving: As we begin the season of Lent, we can contemplate how the three practices of Lent help us combat the seven deadly sins. The first practice mentioned in today’s Gospel – taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount – is almsgiving. This pious practice seeks to combat the deadly sin of greed (or avarice). Instead of seeking to amass earthly wealth and possessions, we need to see ourselves as administrators and stewards of the good things God has provided and given to us. We will be called to give an account of how we administered them. Instead of focusing on building up earthly wealth, we need to give priority to storing up heavenly treasure with God through almsgiving.

2. Combatting Pride, Envy, and Wrath with Prayer: The second Lenten practice of prayer helps in the battle against pride, envy, and wrath (anger). The one who truly prays to God recognizes that they depend completely on God and that they are not self-sufficient. Prayer is the humble requesting of good things from God. The prideful do not humble themselves to ask for help. Prayer also combats the deadly sin of envy. We fall into envy when we want the good that others have to be taken from them and given to us. Cain, for example, was envious of his brother Abel. Instead of seeking to emulate his brother and offer the best of the first fruits to God, Cain rose up against his brother and slew him in the field. When we truly pray, we strive to see all things from God’s perspective, and this helps us appreciate the good in others rather than be envious of it. Finally, prayer combats the deadly sin of wrath or anger. The one who prays learns the all-important lesson of patient love. Instead of lashing out when offended by someone, prayer helps us pause and ask how we can “do unto others what we would have them do unto us.”

3. Combatting Gluttony, Lust, and Sloth with Fasting: The third Lenten practice is fasting. First, it combats the sin of gluttony. By denying ourselves and fasting from good things, like food, our will is strengthened to say no to bad things. Second, it combats the sin of lust. This is because gluttony and lust are sins connected to disordered sensual pleasure. Even the sin of sloth is connected to disordered sensuality. We are not pure spirits, and our bodies crave the release of dopamine. Fasting from certain foods, drinks, sugar, gambling, social media likes, and shopping reduces our cravings for this release of dopamine, lowers our sensitivity to this stimulation, and can reset our reward system. Instead of seeking the fleeting hit of pleasure, we can focus through the practices of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting on building lasting relationships with God and others.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to accompany you in the wilderness during these forty days and forty nights. I desire to learn from you and understand how to combat the temptations of the devil. Strengthen my will to seek always the will of your Father.

Living the Word of God: What is God asking from me this Lent? How can I enter into deeper communion with God through prayer? How can I serve my brothers and sisters through almsgiving? How can I deny myself through fasting?