Now’s the Time: God’s got Grace for You – Feb 14 – Homily – Fr Matthias

 

Fr Matthias gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Feb 14, 2024, Ash Wednesday, underscoring the urgency of spiritual preparation for death, using Victor Hugo's story and Ash Wednesday as reminders to live a life of repentance and change now to avoid regrets at the end.

Father emphasizes the importance of preparing for death, starting with the story of Victor Hugo, who hoped for a change at the end of his life but failed to take action to reconcile with God. This story is a cautionary tale about the danger of delaying spiritual conversion and the need to prepare for a good death and how Ash Wednesday helps with this by reminding us of our mortality. He highlights that the thoughts and actions we regret now will be our regrets at the moment of death unless we change. Lent provides a special opportunity for reflection and transformation, encouraging us to forgive, show charity, avoid gossip, and live a life of prayer and penance, following the example of the saints. Father concludes by quoting 2 Corinthians 6:2, emphasizing that now is the time for salvation and change, with God's grace enabling us to avoid dying regrets and find peace at the end of our lives.

00:00 - Opening Invocation and Prayer
00:38 - Victor Hugo's Life and Encounter with Saint John Bosco
03:25 - Ash Wednesday's Reminder of Mortality
05:28 - The Necessity of Confronting and Changing Regrets
06:20 - Reflecting on Common Life Regrets
07:25 - The Purpose of Ashes: Mortality and Preparation
08:16 - Emphasizing the Present as the Time for Salvation and Change
08:50 - Concluding Prayer and Call to Action

Ave Maria!

Mass: Ash Wednesday - Wkdy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/021424.cfm
1st: joe 2:12-18
Resp: psa 51:3-6, 12-14, 17
2nd: 2co 5:20-6:2
Gsp: mat 6:1-6, 16-18

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1736

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