Ash Wednesday: Now Is the Acceptable Time

By Sister Catherine Cleary, OSB

In the second reading for Ash Wednesday, St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians motivate us to the immediacy of God’s call: Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. Do not receive the grace of God in vain.

In other words, Listen. Now!

For the last three months, every person in this country has listened to the weather forecasters and responded to their dire warnings.

Will we listen – and respond – to St. Paul’s words with the same urgency as we responded to those weather reports?

It is good to ponder and pray about what the Lord may be asking of us this Lent.

Consider Prophet Joel’s words: Return to me with your whole heart with fasting and weeping and mourning, rend your hearts and return to the Lord, your God.

Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. Let’s take this opportunity to draw closer to God.

I pray that we all, together, will indeed return to the Lord with our whole heart.

Blessings on your Lenten journey.