Probably our Holy Father's last public homily . . .

Although, naturally enough under the circumstances, we didn't have a lot of notice about the Holy Father's last public Mass in St Peter's Basilica yesterday (Ash Wednesday) I hope nonetheless that some of you were able to watch it on television or online; or at least some of it.

It was of course a beautiful Mass and very moving.

You might like to read the Holy Father's homily from the Mass so here is the text for you to read and meditate on in your own time.

As always, whenever Pope Benedict preaches, there is a great deal of spiritual nourishment for us to reflect on.

Let us all prayer for our Holy Father and for his successor.  

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris . . .

We are beginning Lent, a time of penance and interior renewal to enable us to prepare for the great feast of Easter.

The Church continually invites us to purify our souls and to start afresh.

As we receive the ashes today we are reminded of the words of Genesis, following original sin,

'Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris'

Remember man, that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19

In spite of this reminder we sometimes forget that without God we are nothing.

God wants us to abandon sin and return to Him; sin creates a barrier between God and ourselves.

'Jesus Christ himself is the most sublime grace of the whole of Lent. It is He who presents Himself to us in all the wonderful simplicity of the Gospel.' Blessed John Paul II

Jesus is continually looking for a contrite heart in each of us, a heart that acknowledges its weakness and sins and is prepared to change. God wants for us a sincere sorrow for our sins, which we show, above all, by going to Confession. Each of us should draw up a particular plan of mortification to offer to God each day of Lent.

'Memento homo quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris'

'Memento homo quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris' This is one of two alternative instructions which may be used during the imposition of ashes. The other being, 'Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.'

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and runs until the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.

With these words, 'Memento homo . . . . ' and with the ashes made from last year's palms, Catholics throughout the world begin the season of Lent. It is a time of repentance and penitence as we prepare for the Easter Triduum when we commemorate the Paschal Mysteries of the Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The ashes we receive symbolise death and remind us of our own mortality and judgement, requesting us to look again at our lives and cleanse ourselves of our sins so that we may be prepared to face the final judgement.

The wearing of ashes is also a sign of humility before God and our neighbour. Ashes on our forehead is a visible reminder, both to ourselves and others, of our sinful nature and our need for God's forgiveness.

The wearing of ashes, this outward sign, is meaningless unless it is accompanied by true and sincere sorrow for our sins.

The prophet Joel says:

'Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, weeping and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothes.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, rich in mercy.'

(Joel 2: 12-13)

Have a holy and prayerful Lent.