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The faithful begin Lent at Mass on Ash Wednesday
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February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of the 40-day liturgical season of Lent. It is a time of penance and preparation for the commemoration of the passion and death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday and his ultimate resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Masses were offered on Ash Wednesday at 6:45 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. at the Corpus Christi Cathedral, located at 505 North Upper Broadway in Corpus Christi. Bishop Michael Mulvey was the celebrant at the noon midday mass, which gave many the opportunity to receive the Eucharist as well ashes.
In his homily, Bishop Mulvey spoke of how Lent is a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These guideposts set a course for not only a deeper understanding of this liturgical season, but also an opportunity for each of us to grow spiritually over the course of Lent’s 40 days.
“The 40 days of Lent are a time for preparation, a time for reflection,” said Bishop Mulvey. He also encouraged everyone to make time for silent prayer as a way of escaping the many distractions and noise of the modern world to find peace in our interior, spiritual lives. This is how we develop our relationship with God.
“This is also a time to be self-aware,” remarked Bishop Mulvey. “St. Paul reminds that if we do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead, our faith is useless. We must know ourselves to know God, since God is the one who created us.”
Bishop Mulvey also spoke of the importance of spending time reading and reflecting on the Word of God. He went on to say that this Lent offers us an opportunity to encounter Jesus, who is the Word made flesh and who we journey with through the Lenten season.
“Ash Wednesday begins forty days that are special in the life of the Church as well as in the lives of each one of us,” said Bishop Mulvey.
Photos by Adel Sauceda | STC
