This day is a day of fast and abstinence

Theme: Remember you are dust! Repent and believe the Good News!

A reading from the Prophet Joel 2: 12 - 18
The whole community, the elders, the young, even the mothers with infants at the breast, are invited to join in the fast, and recognising the error of their ways, to repent, to experience a change of heart, and return to the ways of God, confident that God is full of compassion and tenderness, and always ready to forgive.

Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 5: 20- 6: 2
Paul reminds his readers, that there is no time like the present, he says,“this is the day of salvation.” Just as Christ was sent by God to bring healing and reconciliation to a world disrupted by sin, so we too are ambassadors for Christ. Ours, the task to seek forgiveness for ourselves and to seek to bring others to reconciliation with us, and to friendship with God.

Gospel according to Matthew 6: 1 - 6, 16 - 18
The traditional practices of the season of Lent are Prayer,Fasting and Almsgiving. We need to be aware of the danger of pride in trumpeting our own good works, of doing things for the wrong motive. Prayer is seen as a sincere personal communion with God, a listening process, one of thanksgiving rather than one of petition. The fasting, or practice of self-denial is to be directed at God, and may be the means of bringing more self discipline and order into our own lives. The almsgiving, may take the form of giving more time, money or effort into caring or providing for the poor or infirm. The practices of ‘giving things up for Lent’ can be a very positive identification with Christ who is to be found in the poor.