Welcome to today’s celebration of the Holy Mass on the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Why are we gathered here today?

It is because we are spiritually hungry for the Word of God; because we are spiritually hungry for Jesus’ Body and Blood in Holy Communion and His Teaching.

My Dear brothers and sisters

During today’s First Reading from the Book of Ezekiel, we learned that those who turn away from their wickedness by doing what is right, they will be saved. At the same time, those who were previously saved and who have turned away from their righteousness to commit sins, they will die for it. This is a very powerful message.

During today’s Second Reading, we heard that when we are of one mind, having the same love as Christ, there is encouragement in Christ. We find consolation during our tribulations. We share in the Spirit. We have compassion and sympathy for others. Our joy is complete in Christ.

During today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we heard Jesus tell the story of the man who had two sons. The father asked one of his sons to go and work in the vineyard. His son said that he would not go but he changed his mind and he went. The second son said that he would go but he did not go. This holy reading from the Scriptures echoes the first reading. Some turn away from their righteousness to do evil while some turn from their evil ways to do righteousness.

The son who promised to go and work in the vineyard, but he did not go, he broke his promise. He was no different then God’s chosen people of the Old Testament who broke the Old Covenant. He was no different then the people within the Church today who break the new Covenant of God by turnings away from His righteous ways. He was no different then many Christians today who calling themselves Christian, but they have no relationship with God at all.

Jesus asked, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” Naturally, we all know that it is the one who obeyed. My friends we have to be men and women whose word is a good as a contract. Always we have to be righteous people, better Christians and put lot of effort to learn about the Will of God and His true Church. We have to literally take the Word of God.

My brothers and sisters, this week, let us take the time to reflect on all what has been mentioned. Let us ask ourselves, “Am I in complete obedience to the Will of God?”

In the parable of the laborers for the vineyard and also in the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus wants to stress the great Divine Mercy, so that we can take it as the model for our generosity and mercy.

My Dear brothers and sisters,

It is so easy to receive gifts, money, different things, and indeed we receive so much daily, in fact we have been receiving daily all of our life. But when it comes time to give, everyone becomes mean and possessive, and then generosity is given with restraint. This is not what Jesus teaches. He teaches all of us by His actions. He is the Giver of all gifts.

Jesus is teaching in the Gospel “give and you shall be given, be merciful and mercy will be shown to you;” so whatever you do for the least of my brothers will receive a reward. I assure you, you will always be rewarded for your generosity.

Whatever work we do in Jesus` kingdom will be repaid according to His mercy. Jesus forgave the thief on the cross who accepted Him as His savior and who asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered his kingdom. He received the great gift that virtuous men seek so eagerly and at such a cost with a simple act of faith and humility.

My friends, we should rejoice and be glad because of Jesus’ great mercy. He died on the cross to forgive everyone who comes to him with sincerity, asking pardon for their sins and with a desire to amend their lives. Jesus does not discriminate sinners. He died for them. He is the savior of the world. His job is to forgive and to save. He wants everyone to benefit from his mercy. He wants every one to be saved.

My Dear brothers and sisters the only condition for our salvation is humble repentance. Jesus is willing to save even those to whom the world condemns. He is the God of the outcast, the rejected, the poor, and the sinful who are desperately in need of conversion. For this reason Jesus calls everyone to be generous as He is generous, to help others as he helps everyone.

We have to share with others as much as we can, we have to pray for others especially people in need, our friends and enemies and for sinners who live far away from God and his commandments. We have to be good without measure, when we have to do something for someone remember that we are doing it for Jesus. When we see someone in need do not hesitate to help. Now we know that whatever we do for others, we are doing it for Jesus. We have to remember Jesus teaching: “love one another as I have loved you.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today we are entering a new Liturgical Season, one of penance and sacrifices. Together, we have gathered here to celebrate “Ash Wednesday,” the first of forty days of the Lenten Season that precedes Easter.

Today, on Ash Wednesday we start preparation for the joy of Easter that approaches.

Today we call upon the mercy of the Lord Jesus, asking Him for His blessings, forgiveness and best preparation during Lent for Easter.

During Lent, through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are going to prepare ourselves to celebrate the death and glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior.

My dear brothers and sisters

As we heard during today’s First Reading from the Book of Joel, the Lord God calls upon us to return to Him with all our hearts, with fasting, weeping and mourning. To practice sincere repentance, the Lord God tells us to change our hearts. We are called to examine our most inner self, those evil ways that we have to let go, once and for always.

During today’s Second Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians, we heard St. Paul appealing to us on behalf of Jesus to be reconciled to God. God the Father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us on the cross. He who was without sin took our place and was treated as a sinner, so we might become righteous in the eyes of God. Now is the time for us to show our appreciation to the Lord God by walking in His righteousness so we may inherit the salvation that we have asked of Him and which He is granting to us through His infinite love and mercy.

How do we walk in righteousness?

Jesus answered that question during today’s Reading from the Gospel of Matthew.

It is not by continuing in our worldly ways. It is by embracing a spiritual mind so we may mature in Christ by the grace of God the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus warns us against hypocrisy, our piety must manifest private time between the Lord God and ourselves. We must walk with Christ in our lives every minute of the day, from the time we rise in the morning until the time we go to bed at night.

My friends

The church asks us today, at the beginning of Lent to renew our own lives in the great spiritual works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving and listen to the advice of Jesus in today’s gospel. Today we try to begin and we receive the ashes as a sign that we are willing to undertake the gospel way of life. When we receive the ashes we hear again the first words of Jesus in Mathew’s gospel: Repent and be faithful to the gospel. So let us begin our lent.

In today’s Gospel Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

My brothers and sisters in Christ, there is a contrast given to us today between the person who takes the word of God into his heart and soul and acts on it and the person who simply speaks the word of God but does not live it.

Those who take the word of God into their heart and soul and walk in the way of the Lord, they will receive God’s blessings and will inherit His Heavenly Kingdom. Those who only speak the word of God but do not live it; will not inherit God’s Kingdom. God’s warning is as clear as black and white, there are no grey areas.

Today’s First Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy reminds us that today is the day to make a final decision.

I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse: a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord, your God, which I enjoin on you today; a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord, your God, but turn aside from the way I ordain for you today, to follow other gods, whom you have not known.

Today, we must decide if we will walk with God according to His Commandments or against God, contrary to His Commandments. This means that we must be living models of the Christian faith, practicing what we learn from Jesus’ preaching in the Gospel. In Christ, there is one life, one way and one truth.

The Letter to the Romans, from which comes our second reading, puts its focus on faith: we consider that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. We could ask a question very similar to one that Jesus poses elsewhere: who has faith? The one who does the works of faith or the one who only speaks about it?

The Gospel of Matthew today is about belief and faith. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’” The Gospel tells us that doing great work is not enough. Even doing great work in the name of the Lord is not enough. We must believe from our hearts and souls.

So today we are invited to become followers of Christ in a totally committed way, both believing and doing. Doing, by itself, is not good enough. Believing without acting on the belief is not belief. Let us believe as well as practice faith by our actions and deeds in our every day life!