Feb 18, 2026: Ash Wednesday (ABC)

Introduction

Today we begin the liturgical season of Lent, during which we prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Easter. The season begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days, excluding Sundays — commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11).

1st Reading – Joel 2:12-18

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger, rich in kindness,
and relenting in punishment.
Perhaps he will again relent
and leave behind him a blessing,
offerings and libations
for the LORD, your God.

Blow the trumpet in Zion!
proclaim a fast,
call an assembly;
Gather the people,
notify the congregation;
Assemble the elders,
gather the children
and the infants at the breast;
Let the bridegroom quit his room
and the bride her chamber.
Between the porch and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,
and say, “Spare, O LORD, your people,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
with the nations ruling over them!
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land
and took pity on his people.

The Book of Joel, likely composed around 400 BC, reflects a moment of acute crisis in Judah, when a devastating locust plague ravaged the land. Joel interprets this calamity not only as a national disaster but as a signpost pointing toward the coming “Day of the Lord,” a central theme that shapes the book’s message of warning and hope.

In the face of this disaster, Joel exhorts the people to repent, to return to the Lord with fasting and weeping.

Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart,

Despite the severity of the disaster, God offers a chance for repentance and restoration.

with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

These are outward and visible signs of repentance that reflect deep sorrow for sin and a desire for renewal (see Ezra 10:1-6; Esther 4:3; Jonah 3:5-9).

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God.

In the Jewish culture, tearing one’s own garments was a visible and dramatic way to express grief, sorrow, repentance, or intense emotions (e.g., Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 13:31).

God is urging his people to go beyond these kinds of external gestures. Rending one’s heart means having genuine sorrow for sin and a desire for reconciliation with God.

God values inner transformation over mere outward expressions.

For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment.

Joel emphasizes the possibility of divine forgiveness by referencing God’s profound self-revelation to Moses (Exodus 34:6-7) as a reminder of his mercy and compassion.

There is hope for divine forgiveness, but they must repent.

Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing,

In addition to forgiving them, God may also bless them.

There is a play on words here. Joel uses the same Hebrew term for “turn” (shuv) to describe both the people and God: if the people turn back to God, there is hope that God may turn from his planned judgment and show mercy.

Although the all-powerful Yahweh cannot be manipulated by the people, his divine response is not disconnected from their actions.

offerings and libations for the LORD, your God.

The drought and locust plague have destroyed the grain and fruit crops; there is nothing to offer in the Temple. With restored fertility, the sacrifices will be reinstated.

Blow the trumpet in Zion! proclaim a fast, call an assembly;

Further instructions for returning to the Lord include calling for a public act of repentance involving the entire community, highlighting the collective responsibility for sin and the need for collective renewal.

Gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber.

No one is exempt from participating in the call to repentance, regardless of age or social status. The inclusion of all people, from the oldest to the youngest, symbolizes the need for the entire community to seek reconciliation with God. The call for even newlyweds to forsake their wedding night emphasizes the importance of this act.

The staccato rhythm of the Hebrew poetry in these verses reinforces the urgency of the situation.

Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep,

The priests, who serve as spiritual leaders, are called to lead the people in mourning and intercession. They stand between the altar (the place of sacrifice) and the portico (a place of worship), symbolizing their role as mediators between the people and God.

and say, “Spare, O LORD, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them!

Since the priests have no offerings to make due to the famine, here they make a spiritual sacrifice.

The priestly lament appeals to the Lord’s sense of ownership and pride in his covenant people (see also Deuteronomy 9:26-29; Psalm 44:11-14, 74:2, 79:10, 115:2; Micah 7:10).

Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

In laments, the sufferer often complains that his adversaries ask him where his God is (Psalm 42:3 (42:4 in NAB); 79:10; Malachi 2:17).

This demonstrates a concern that God’s failure to act on behalf of his people would cause shame and dishonor, not only for Israel but also for God’s name among the nations.

Then the LORD was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Their prayers are answered; Yahweh relents.

God is willing to restore his people if they return to him sincerely.

2nd Reading – 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2

Brothers and sisters:
We are ambassadors for Christ,
as if God were appealing through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Working together, then,
we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you,
and on the day of salvation I helped you.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation.

Our second reading is a powerful message of reconciliation and an urgent call for repentance.

Brothers and sisters: We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.

Paul begins this section by stating that Paul and his fellow ministers of the gospel are Christ’s ambassadors. As representatives of Christ, they bear the responsibility of delivering God’s message to the world.

Interestingly, Paul employs the verb form of the word “ambassador” here (presbeuo), which gives an active sense: “We are ‘ambassadoring’ on behalf of Christ.”

This conveys an important point: The call to represent Christ isn’t something done in name only — it requires consistent and intentional action, much like the ambassador of a king would actively work to further the king’s agenda.

We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 

The plea Paul is making is clear: On behalf of Christ, Paul asks the Corinthians to accept Christ’s gift of reconciliation, which was brought about by his death on the cross.

For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin,

The atoning sacrifices in the Old Testament often involved a substitutionary act where a victim or offering took on the guilt of the people and bore their sin.

Drawing on this sacrificial model, Paul explains the Christian doctrine of salvation: Jesus, who is like men in all things but sin (Hebrews 4:14-15), bore the sins of men (Isaiah 53:4-12) and by his own free will offered himself on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for all those sins (1 Peter 2:22-25).

In the Old Testament, only clean, unblemished offerings could be presented to God to secure pardon for sin. As the ultimate perfect and spotless sacrifice, Jesus atoned for all sin — “once and for all” (Hebrews 10:11-14).

so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Christ’s sacrificial act bridges the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity, creating a divine exchange fundamental to the Christian faith: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believers, making them “the righteousness of God.”

This exchange is both radical and profound. Before his sacrificial death, Christ had absolutely no sin, and we had absolutely no righteousness. In this divine exchange, Christ bore all of humanity’s sin — past, present, and future — and we received Christ’s perfect righteousness as if it were our own.

Note the phrase “might become,” which highlights the ongoing nature of our sanctification. While Christ’s work of salvation is complete, believers undergo a progressive transformation into his image. Our thoughts and deeds are sanctified in increasing measure until we receive perfect righteousness in heaven.

Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Paul’s warning “not to receive God’s grace in vain” is a call to respond to the grace given, to let it transform their lives and lead to repentance and action.

Grace is not a passive gift but something that requires an active, living response.

“We receive the grace of God in vain when we receive it at the gate of our heart, without allowing it to enter: we receive it without receiving it; we receive it without fruit, since there is no use in feeling the inspiration if one does not consent unto it. And just as the sick man who has the medicine in his hands, if he takes only part of it, will only partially benefit from it, so too, when God sends a great and mighty inspiration to move us to embrace his love, if we do not avail of it in its entirety, we shall benefit from it only partially” (Saint Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God, Book 2, Chapter 11).

For he says, “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.”

Paul quotes the Septuagint version of Isaiah 49:8, words that recall Jesus’ preaching in the synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21).

Isaiah’s prophecy has found its fulfillment in Christ and in the call for reconciliation which the ambassadors for Christ bring.

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Paul applies Isaiah’s words to the present moment. He declares that the “acceptable time” is now; the moment of salvation has arrived in Christ.

There is a sense of immediacy in this closing verse — the opportunity to be reconciled to God is not to be delayed, as it is available now, in the person of Christ.

The present time is the only opportunity to accept God’s grace.

Gospel – Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms,
do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you pray,
do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you,
they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room,
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

“When you fast,
do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Today’s gospel reading is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and deals with the proper attitude toward three great Christian duties: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.

These disciplines were already well-established in Jewish religious life, and Jesus assumes his disciples are regularly observing them, as indicated by his wording: “when you give alms,” “when you fast,” etc. His teaching here emphasizes that these acts must be done sincerely before God, rather than for human recognition.

Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting remain foundational to the Christian life; the Church especially emphasizes them during the season of Lent.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.

Jesus warns against hypocritical righteousness, where the motive is public approval rather than love for God.

When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others.

The Greek word translated as “hypocrites” is hypokritai, literally referring to actors — those who perform behind a mask. In classical Greek, it meant a stage performer, but by Jesus’ time it had come to describe people who pretend to be righteous while hiding their true motives.

Here, the term underscores that their almsgiving is a performance aimed at winning applause rather than an act of genuine mercy.

There’s no historical evidence that people literally blew trumpets when giving alms. Neither Jewish sources nor Greco‑Roman texts describe such a custom. So Jesus is almost certainly using hyperbole — a vivid exaggeration to expose the absurdity of public, performative piety.

It’s the equivalent of saying, “Don’t hire a marching band to announce your generosity.”

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

The term used here for reward is apechō, a commercial term for giving a receipt. It carries the sense of “paid in full,” much like a financial receipt, meaning no further reward is due.

But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. 

This instruction may allude to the placement of the offering chest on the right side of the temple entrance, where worshippers would deposit their gifts using their right hand.

The phrase carries a double meaning: it urges giving that is so discreet that even those nearby remain unaware, and it warns against self-congratulation, since the “left hand” symbolizes our own self‑awareness.

True almsgiving seeks neither public recognition nor internal pride, but flows quietly from a heart oriented toward God.

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

In contrast to the earthly reward of the hypocrites (apechō), Matthew uses a different verb (apodidōmi) to describe the divine reward given to the disciples. Apodidōmi implies rendering what is due, but as an act of God’s grace rather than something an individual can claim as owed.

The distinction reinforces a key difference between human-centered righteousness and God-centered devotion: the hypocrite’s “reward” is limited and earthly, like a business deal completed, whereas the disciple’s reward is spiritual, eternal, and given by God himself.

“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

Prayer is treated the same as almsgiving, contrasting those who pray for show with those who pray for genuine communion with God. Once again, Matthew uses the apechō / apodidōmi distinction to highlight the different rewards.

Notice the unequivocal call to personal prayer. Christians are to relate to God as a child to a father, alone. While public prayer is both necessary and holy, it should never overshadow the obedience to this essential command from Christ to pray alone, which is essential for maintaining an intimate relationship with God.

Jesus himself modeled this practice throughout his earthly ministry, frequently retreating to pray alone (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, etc.). The apostles, too, followed his example. For instance, Peter went up to the rooftop to pray in private, where he received a divine revelation (Acts 10:9-16).

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

The act of fasting is given the same treatment. For the third time, spiritual devotion is emphasized over external recognition.

Anointing and washing were normal grooming habits, implying that fasting should not disrupt daily life. It certainly should not be exaggerated to gain admiration.

In Chapter 5 of Matthew, just before this passage, Jesus addresses the internal nature of sin, teaching that we must avoid “heart-sins” such as “heart-adultery” and “heart-murder.” This radical teaching reveals that the purity God desires is not just external compliance but a transformation of the heart.

Likewise, here Jesus outlines how to practice “heart-religion”: a faith that is authentic, sincere, and rooted in the inner transformation of the believer.

“The world admires only spectacular sacrifice, because it does not realize the value of sacrifice that is hidden and silent” (Saint Josemaría Escrivá, The Way, 185).

Through these three disciplines, we offer homage and service to God: prayer with our souls, fasting with our bodies, and almsgiving with our resources. As Christians, we are called not only to turn away from evil but also to actively do good — and, as demonstrated here, to do it with sincerity and excellence.

Connections and Themes

Ash Wednesday. Both the reading from Joel and the Gospel affirm the value and necessity of prayer and fasting, but they also emphasize that a genuine interior disposition is essential: Return to me with all your heart… rend your hearts, not your garments. Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting should transform the heart and deepen our commitment to God and others, rather than serve as a display of outward piety.

Yet Ash Wednesday is not solely about penitence — it is also a call to a joyful return to the Lord. Saint Paul captures this joy in the second reading by pointing to the transformation made possible through Christ’s victory over sin and death. As we approach God in mourning and repentance, we do so with hearts full of hope, for behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!