On Ash Wednesday our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (58:1-12) entitled "Concerning fasting that pleases God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope.
Catholics celebrate Ash Wednesday as the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and repentance leading up to Easter, which commemorates the Resurrection of Christ. The ashes symbolize mourning and repentance, reflecting biblical practices. By receiving ashes, Catholics express sorrow for their sins and acknowledge Christ's suffering on the cross. This day marks a time of spiritual discipline, aligning with Christ's 40 days in the desert. Ash Wednesday is a highly attended day in the Catholic Church, welcoming all to receive ashes as a sign of repentance and a step towards deeper faith.
Saint Clement of Rome was the third successor of Saint Peter, reigning as pope during the last decade of the first century. He's known as one of the Church's five "Apostolic Fathers," those who provided a direct link between the Apostles and later generations of Church Fathers.
Clement's First Epistle to the Corinthians was preserved and widely read in the early Church. This letter from the bishop of Rome to the Church in Corinth concerns a split that alienated a large number of the laity from the clergy. Deploring the unauthorized and unjustifiable division in the Corinthian community, Clement urged charity to heal the rift.
The book of Isaiah is filled with sobering accounts of Israel's sin and rebellion and warnings of their coming judgement. But along with warnings, Isaiah also offers a message of hope—a suffering servant, a coming Messiah, who would come to establish God's Kingdom on Earth and create a new Jerusalem.
