20260218 NOW IS THE FAVOURABLE TIME AND IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
18 February 2026, Ash Wednesday
First reading | Joel 2:12-18 |
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn
‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks –
come back to me with all your heart,
fasting, weeping, mourning.’
Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn,
turn to the Lord your God again,
for he is all tenderness and compassion,
slow to anger, rich in graciousness,
and ready to relent.
Who knows if he will not turn again, will not relent,
will not leave a blessing as he passes,
oblation and libation
for the Lord your God?
Sound the trumpet in Zion!
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly,
call the people together,
summon the community,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
even the infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his bedroom
and the bride her alcove.
Between vestibule and altar let the priests,
the ministers of the Lord, lament.
Let them say,
‘Spare your people, Lord!
Do not make your heritage a thing of shame,
a byword for the nations.
Why should it be said among the nations,
“Where is their God?”’
Then the Lord, jealous on behalf of his land,
took pity on his people.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 50(51):3-6,12-14,17 |
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Second reading |
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2 |
Be reconciled to God
We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps50:12,14 |
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
A pure heart create for me, O God,
and give me again the joy of your help.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Or: | cf.Ps94:8 |
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!
Gospel |
Matthew 6:1-6,16-18 |
Your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them; I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.
‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.’
NOW IS THE FAVOURABLE TIME; THIS IS THE DAY OF SALVATION
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Jl 2:12-18; Ps 51:3-6,12-14,17; 2 Cor 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18]
St Paul tells us, “At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.” How can this be a favourable time when we are just on the second day of the celebration of the Lunar New Year? Indeed, most Chinese would feel that the celebration of Ash Wednesday does not fit into the joyous celebration of Lunar New Year, which is also celebrated in South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Mongolia, and Tibet. Because Lunar New Year is a spring festival, like the Season of Lent, the two will inevitably coincide from time to time, and sometimes even fall on the same day. Does this therefore prevent those celebrating the Lunar New Year from also celebrating Ash Wednesday?
The challenge for us is how we view Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the season of Lent. It depends on whether we focus on the spirit of the season or merely on its practices and disciplines. The reality is that many of us tend to focus on the external observances associated with Lent. When we think of Lent, we often associate it with an atmosphere that is sombre, remorseful, and subdued. This mood is further reinforced by the traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving – the three pillars of Lenten discipline that a good Catholic is supposed to observe. As a consequence, such obligations make us feel burdened and may even rob us of the joy of life, fellowship, and prayer, because the prayers during Lent often centre on repentance, suffering, sacrifices, and carrying the cross.
The truth is that Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are not primarily about these externals. The sombre tone, penitential liturgies, and encouragement to practise the three spiritual exercises are but means to help a person to enter into the spirit of Lent. Importantly, it is not what we do, but how we allow our lives to be transformed. This is what the prophet Joel told the Israelites. “‘Now, now – it is the Lord who speaks – come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning.’ Let your hearts be broken not your garments torn, turn to the Lord your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, and ready to relent.'” So we must be careful that we do not emphasise so much on the externals of the Lenten season and forget the Spirit of Lent, its purpose, and goal.
This is what the Lord taught in the Gospel. Whilst affirming the three traditional pillars of spiritual life, He warns against doing them to impress others, and to draw attention to oneself rather than for one’s spiritual growth and for the glory of His Father. Regarding good deeds and almsgiving, Jesus said to His disciples: “Be careful not to parade your good deeds before men to attract their notice; by doing this you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win men’s admiration.” Concerning prayer, He said, “when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them.” Thirdly, “When you fast, do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting.”
What, then, is the season of Lent? Lent, being a spring festival, speaks of a spiritual renewal, preparing us for the celebration of the New Life given to us at Easter. Consequently, Lent is a forty-day period whereby the Church, together with the Catechumens, journey together in faith and charity, immersing ourselves in the passion of our Lord so that we can rise with Him at Easter. It calls for the giving up of our old life – of greed, anger, selfishness, and grudges against those who have hurt us. It means leaving behind our old life of sin and instead putting on Christ, so that the new life of Christ may also be ours.
This calls for interior purification of our actions by having the right motives. When it comes to almsgiving, it must really come from a sincere heart of love and compassion. By reaching out to others, we simply rejoice in bringing happiness to them. This is why the Lord said, “when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret.” The joy of having the capacity to help someone is itself a true joy. We should not be expecting gratitude or praise from others.
The same is true when it comes to spending time in prayer. The Lord said, “when you pray go to your private room and, when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” Why is that so? Because prayer is not for public display but for deepening our intimate relationship with God. When we enjoy the company of our Lord, speaking to Him and listening to Him speaking to us, helping us to understand and appreciate ourselves and His love and mercy for us, we find fulfilment, peace and joy. Prayer must help us to gain further knowledge of our Lord’s love and mercy, and greater appreciation of the gifts He has blessed us with. Above all, through our relationship with the Lord, we become better people.
Finally, when it comes to fasting, it is not merely about saving money for something else or an occasion to lose weight so that we will be healthier or physically more attractive. Real fasting enables us to feel with the sufferings of others, to identify with them, and to come to a deeper consciousness of what God has blessed us with – blessings we often take for granted. We sometimes complain about what we lack, while many others do not even have enough food, clean water, electricity, proper accommodation, or the security for daily living. So fasting is to help us become more grateful people. Those who are grateful will naturally want to share freely with others the blessings that they have received freely from God. This explains why Jesus said, “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret; and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.”
When we consider the goal and objective of Lent, we can then appreciate how the celebration of the Lunar New Year does not hinder the observance of Lent but, in fact, enhances it. The goal of the Lunar New Year is to mark a new beginning – to live a righteous, diligent, and fruitful life, a life that is blessed abundantly by God’s graces. It’s not about going around with sad faces, downcast eyes, or fasting from food and from having fun and joy. Rather, it is to live a life of love and generosity.
The Lunar New Year invites us to let go of our past, especially the hurts caused by our loved ones, friends, and colleagues. We are called to forgive, learn from the past, and begin life anew by renewing our relationships. This is why we invite others into our homes to share a meal and fellowship together. It is about building community and strengthening relationships.
Secondly, Chinese New Year urges us to begin life anew by doing good and blessing others, like giving ang pow (Red packets) to our loved ones, our workers, and those whom we wish to bless. We give out oranges and gifts as well as symbols of blessings. This calls for a generous heart, a heart that wants to share and to make others happy. On this day too, we consciously speak kind and encouraging words instead of harsh or words that do not give life, so that others may experience the kindness of God’s love through us. Indeed, when we do all these, are we not in truth doing what Lent requires us all to do?
As St Paul says, “We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.” By being God’s ambassadors of love and mercy, we bring His grace and message of reconciliation and peace to others. Indeed, we could also say, “now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.” In truth, Lent and Lunar New Year complement each other and invite us to celebrate both occasions in their fullness and joy.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
