The Season of Lent,  you take away from the midst of you the yoke,

the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

St. John of God, religious

Labor without stopping, do all the good works you can, while you still have the time.

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Isaiah 58:9b-14

If you remove

 Staying true to what you believe God has promised can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Giving away his belongings in a bold act of faith.

St. Katharine Drexel, virgin

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 Sirach 17:20-24

Their misdeeds cannot be

“A sincere effort to remove from our hearts all evil."

As the "paschal fast" to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus.

Day of abstinence from meat (age 14 and up).

St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, martyrs

Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian.　----- St. Perpetua

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Isaiah 58:1-9a

Cry out aloud for all

"Can a blind person lead another blind person?

The Holy Spirit indwells and enlightens the believer,

infusing him with wisdom—the mind of Christ, to yield to the Spirit’s leading.

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Sirach 27:4-7

When a sieve is shaken

  "Christ's self-sacrificing love."

He counted not His life dear unto Himself, but endured the cross, despising the shame.

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Deuteronomy 30:15-20

See, I set before you

Those who come to Christ must do so in childlike humility, faith, and simplicity.

Like children who implicitly trust their parents, believers trust God.  

Blessed Virgin Mary

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Sirach 17:1-15

The Lord created man

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The ashes are applied in the shape of a cross on the forehead of each worshipper on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need

for reconciliation with God and marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season.

 Start of Lent, a Day of Universal Fast. Day of fast (ages 18-59) and abstinence from meat (age 14 and up).

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Joel 2:12-18

The Lord says,

 " What God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The one flesh relationship in marriage pictures the relationship between Christ and the church.

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Sirach 6:5-17

A gentle word makes many friends,

Giving freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD.

and god is able to make all grace abound to you,

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,

you will abound in every good work, and eternal life.

St. Casimir

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Sirach 35:1-12

Keeping the law

 He was the sort of person, "Salt of the earth."

A salt-of-the-earth with friendly and straightforward,

referred to as "salt of the earth". 

St. Gregory of Narek, abbot and doctor of the Church

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Sirach 5:1-8

Do not rely on your wealth. Do not say,