Father Nathan Homily | Ash Wednesday|
February 17, 2021
Ash Wednesday
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.”— Joel 2:12-13
Ash Wednesday
Today’s Readings:
First Reading — Jl 2:12-18
Responsorial Psalm — Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Second Reading — 2 Cor 5:20—6:2
Gospel Reading — Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Lent is not just a period of “fulfilling an obligation imposed on us by the church,” during this period of the year. Rather, it marks the beginning of an important part of our salvific history. It is truly a season of re-living or re-enacting the entire Paschal Mystery of Christ. On Ash Wednesday we express our love for God through the spiritual exercises of prayers, almsgiving, and fasting.
Paul calls this season:
“A moment of grace, a favorable time, very acceptable time, most lovable time, and of course, the day of salvation.”
Hence he admonished us to make use of this season in order to reconcile ourselves with both men and God. Like our first reading, the gospel reminds us of the most important virtues of this season: “almsgiving, prayer and fasting.” Not only did it highlight these virtues, it also reminds us that our Lenten observance must be carried out with humility.
On Ash Wednesday we express our love for God through the spiritual exercises of prayers, almsgiving, and fasting. It is a time when we make sacrifices of subduing the pleasures of the flesh in order to purify the soul. Yes, Lent is a matter of the heart as it affords us the opportunity to renew our hearts. In his Lenten message for 2021 Pope Francis says
“Lent is a time for believing, for welcoming God into our lives and allowing him to “make his dwelling” among us (cf. Jn 14:23).
Fasting involves being freed from all that weighs us down – like consumerism or an excess of information, whether true or false – in order to open the doors of our hearts to the
One who comes to us, poor in all things, yet “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14): the Son of God our Saviour.”
Let us pray that during this holy season, God will enkindle in our hearts the fire of his love. I wish you a very fruitful Lenten season. Amen
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 9, 2026
A Tribute to my Mother
She loved God, the Church, and her priests.
“The greatest gift God can give to a family is a priestly or religious vocation. A vocation born in a family is God’s blessing to that family, a joy to the parish, and a grace to the whole community.” The quote above is often attributed to St. John Bosco, and I have always felt it speaks the truth about my own family.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 2, 2026
A Tribute to my Mother
She loved God, the Church, and her priests.
“The greatest gift God can give to a family is a priestly or religious vocation. A vocation born in a family is God’s blessing to that family, a joy to the parish, and a grace to the whole community.” The quote above is often attributed to St. John Bosco, and I have always felt it speaks the truth about my own family.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 26, 2026
The Gift of Time and Prayer.
If the secular world cannot come to Christ in prayer, why don’t we bring them to Christ through our prayers? They are weary and burdened, and they, too, need to find rest in Christ Jesus. Prayer honors God. It acknowledges His presence and His greatness. It exalts His power, trusts in His providence, seeks His help, and, above all, makes us humble.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 19, 2026
The Eucharist: The Center of Our Lives. My dearest people, closest to my heart,
As a second and third grader, I would sometimes go to church at 3:00 a.m. and sleep on the church steps until it was time to open the doors. That was simply part of my routine. I wanted to be an altar server…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 05, 2026
Discover the meaning of the Holy Mass, why it is the heart of Catholic worship, and the many intentions for which a Mass may be offered.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | June 28, 2026
God Bless America! 🇺🇸
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” — Psalm 33:12
As we celebrate 250 years of American freedom, let us give thanks to Almighty God for the many blessings bestowed upon this great nation.