Today is Tuesday, Mar. 4, Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means” (Sir 35:10).
Today is Mardi Gras, a day traditionally marked by festivity and celebration, the threshold of Lent. And in the context of Mardi Gras, the readings for today’s Mass have a curious theme: generosity. But it’s precisely this call to generosity that serves as a bridge between the exuberance of Mardi Gras and the solemn journey of Lent.
In the Gospel today, Peter says to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you.” We might feel the same with our Lenten sacrifices ready before us. And yet, as Jesus replied to Peter, so he says to us, “I will repay you a hundredfold.” Whatever we’re giving up for Lent, whatever sacrifices we’re taking on, generosity is the key. In fact, it’s the key to having a good Lent.
Trusting fully in God’s promises
Cardinal Newman’s words echo profoundly today: “What is more elevating and transporting, than the generosity of heart which risks everything on God’s word.” Such generosity calls us to trust fully in God’s promises, even when it requires personal sacrifice or stepping into the unknown.
As we transition from Mardi Gras to Lent, let us carry forward the spirit of joy into our Lenten practices. May our fasting be filled with purpose, our prayers with sincerity and our almsgiving with compassion. In setting out on this course during Lent, we not only prepare our hearts for the resurrection joy of Easter but also reflect the boundless generosity of the Most High in our daily lives.
Let us pray,
Grant us, O Lord, we pray, that the course of our world may be directed by your peaceful rule and that your Church may rejoice, untroubled in her devotion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
