Today we come forward to receive ashes – very public – very visible. A smudge on the forehead that says to the world: I belong to God. And yet in the Gospel, Jesus says something that sounds almost contradictory. “Be careful not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them.”
So, which is it? Public or private?
Jesus is not condemning visible faith. After all, in the Sermon on the Mount he tells us to let our light shine before others. What he is warning us about is something subtler: spiritual performance.
It is possible to pray in order to be admire. To give in order to be praised. To fast in order to be noticed.
And Jesus says, if applause is what we are after, applause is all we will get.
Ash Wednesday begins a season of honesty. The ashes remind us, “Remember that you are dust.” Not remember that you are impressive. Not remember that you are admired. Just dust . Dependent, mortal, loved by God.
Lent invites us to do three simple things: pray, fast, and give alms. But notice what Jesus repeats three times: “Your heavenly Father who sees in secret will repay you.”
Who sees in secret? There is a part of your life no one else sees. The prayers you whisper when you cannot sleep. The sacrifices you make that no one thanks you for. The quiet generosity that never makes a bulletin announcement. God sees that.
Lent is not about dramatic gestures. It is about returning our hearts to the Father. It is about doing small, hidden things with great love. Closing the door to pray. Letting go of a grudge. Skipping a meal and letting the hunger remind you of our deeper hunger for God.
In a world obsessed with image, Jesus invites intimacy. In a culture of posting and performing, Jesus invites secrecy and sincerity.
So yes, we will walk out of here today with ashes on our foreheads. You might even forget it’s there – by the end of day they will be washed away. But the real mark of Lent will not be what is on our skin. It will be what happens in the secret places of our hearts. And the Father who sees in secret will love what he sees.