VOICE OF THE LOGOS (16): REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR ASH WEDNESDAY, YEAR I

There is something unsettling about Ash Wednesday. Churches will be filled, long lines will form, and people who haven’t attended Mass in months will suddenly show up to receive ashes. Many will proudly wear the cross on their forehead, take selfies, and carry on with their day as if nothing has changed. Some will even post their ashes on social media, as if marking themselves with dust is an achievement in holiness. But here’s the hard truth: God is not impressed by your ashes. The mark of ash is a symbol of repentance, not a badge of righteousness. And yet, year after year, many receive ashes without the slightest intention of changing their ways. They go through the motions of a sacred ritual while their hearts remain hardened, unwilling to turn back to God. If the ashes you receive today are nothing more than an external sign, with no interior conversion, you are participating in nothing more than an empty religious show. And God despises hypocrisy – this is what today’s readings teach us today as we begin this holy season of Lent.

The word Lent comes from the Old English term “Lencten”, which refers to the season of spring – a time of renewal, growth, and lengthening of daylight. This etymology is important because it points to the spiritual rebirth that Lent demands. Just as the natural world awakens from winter’s barrenness, our souls are called to leave behind the death of sin and embrace new life in Christ. However, the Latin term for this season is “Quadragesima”, meaning “fortieth”, an emphasis on the forty-day journey of purification that mirrors the great biblical periods of trial and renewal: Moses fasting on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28), Elijah’s journey to encounter God (1 Kings 19:8), and most profoundly, Christ’s forty days in the desert (Matthew 4:2). Unlike the Old English focus on seasonal change, the Latin term stresses penance, discipline, and preparation for the Paschal Mystery. This distinction is pertinent because many people today treat Lent like a cultural season – a time to give up chocolate, reduce social media usage, or make minor lifestyle changes, while ignoring its deeper meaning. Lent is about conversion, purification, and reconciliation with God. The Church does not call us to forty days of shallow self-denial but to a radical change of heart. The ashes on our foreheads today remind us that we are dust, but they also serve as a warning: If we do not truly turn back to God, our lives will remain barren, like dry ash scattered in the wind.

The First Reading (Joel 2:12-18) calls for a return to God – not a superficial, performative return, but a real, painful, and humble one. The prophet Joel uses the Hebrew word “שׁוּב” (shuv), which means “to return, to turn back.” This is not a mere physical action; it signifies a complete reversal of direction, a radical transformation of the heart. When Joel cries out, “Return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning”, he is demanding more than religious participation – he is calling for an upheaval in the soul. Many today will put on ashes and continue in the same sins, believing that showing up to church once a year for this ritual is enough. But “shuv” is not about showing up; it is about turning away from sin, from pride, from self-deception, and running back to the mercy of God. Joel continues, “Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn” – a direct attack on those who think outward displays of religion have any meaning without inner change. How many people will wear ashes today but refuse to confess their sins? How many will parade their piety but continue their dishonesty, immorality, or unforgiveness? If there is no “shuv,” no real turning back to God, then the ashes on your forehead are as meaningless as dust on the ground.

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 50/51) echoes this same call, but it takes it even deeper. The psalmist does not ask for a mere cleansing of outward impurity; he begs for something radical: “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (בְּרָא־לִי לֵב טָהוֹר – berah li lev tahor). The Hebrew word “בָּרָא” (bara) means “to create”, and it is the same word used in Genesis when God created the world from nothing. The psalmist is not asking for a small correction; he is pleading for a total recreation of his heart. This is what true repentance looks like, not a minor adjustment, not a moment of guilt, but a profound desire for God to completely transform the soul. This psalm exposes the truth: God does not care about our external religious acts if our hearts remain the same. He is not pleased with empty sacrifices, meaningless rituals, or people who wear ashes while living in rebellion against Him. If there is no “bara,” no creation of a new heart, then the ashes are just a false performance. This urgency is deepened in the second reading.

In the Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2), St. Paul begs, “Be reconciled to God!” He uses the Greek word “καταλλάσσω” (katallássō), meaning “to exchange hostility for friendship, to make peace.” This is not a small adjustment; it is a total shift in relationship. Many people wear ashes as a religious tradition, yet their relationship with God remains distant, even hostile. They refuse to forgive others, they hold onto their sins, they continue living as if God is a distant figure rather than the Lord of their lives. Paul warns them: “Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.” Not tomorrow. Not when you feel ready. Not when life slows down. Now! Many Catholics have convinced themselves that they have time to fix things with God later. But what if there is no later? What if today is your last chance to “katallássō”, to be truly reconciled with God? How many people will die with ashes on their forehead but without repentance in their hearts?

The Gospel (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18) exposes perhaps the most dangerous spiritual deception of all – performative piety. Jesus warns against “acting righteously in front of others to be seen by them.” He uses the Greek word “ὑποκριτής” (hypokritēs) – the same word used for “actors” in ancient Greek theatre. Jesus is saying, “Do not be religious actors. Do not put on a show.” And yet, today, many will do exactly that. They will wear ashes as a public demonstration but continue in their evil ways. They will post photos of their marked foreheads on social media while failing to pray in private. They will walk around with ashes but refuse to show mercy, humility, or obedience to God. Jesus’ warning is clear: If you are fasting, praying, or giving alms for others to see, you have already received your reward, which is, human admiration. But you will receive nothing from God. Those who treat Ash Wednesday as a performance are not impressing God – they are just playing the role of a religious “actor” (hypocrite) while their soul remains unchanged.

Dear friends in Christ, this reality should unsettle us. Attending Mass once a year for ashes does not make you right with God. Receiving ashes on the forehead without a genuine repentance does not impress God. What matters is not the outward mark, but the inward change. If today you receive ashes, let it be a moment of genuine repentance. Go to confession. Reconcile with those you have wronged. Break free from habitual sin. Help the poor. Pray with sincerity. Fast not for attention but for spiritual renewal. Do not let your faith be a hollow performance. God does not care how visible your ashes are, He cares about whether your heart belongs to Him.

There are many people today who will refuse to listen to this message. They will say, “At least I went to church!” But is that enough? Do you think God is fooled by religious participation without true repentance? The Church is filled with baptized people who live as practical atheists – wearing the external symbols of faith while rejecting its demands. This is why the Church is losing credibility in many parts of the world because so many pretend to be Christians without actually following Christ. The world does not need more religious performers or actors; it needs true disciples who have undergone “shuv,” “bara,” “katallássō,” and have left hypocrisy behind.

So before you walk out of church today with ashes on your forehead, ask yourself: Does this mark reflect the state of my soul, or is it just another empty religious act? Because God is not impressed by your ashes – He is looking for a heart that is truly His.