Event closed.
Homily for Ash Wednesday by His Grace
Homily
Your Eminence,
Your Excellency,
Dear Brother Priests and Religious,
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,Today, we begin the Holy Season of Lent—a sacred season marked by reflection, repentance, and renewal. As our foreheads are marked with ashes, we hear the sober and tender words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” or “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Holy Mother Church, in her wisdom, gives us the imposition of ashes to remind us of the profound truth of our human mortality and the transient nature of earthly life. They also confront us with the stark reality of our sinfulness and our enduring need for repentance and conversion.Drawing inspiration from the profound sermons of Saint Augustine of Hippo—particularly his reflections on penitence and conversion (Sermons 205–211)—we are reminded that Lent is far more than ritual observance. It is a call to deep inner transformation. Saint Augustine urges us to purify our hearts from sin and to embrace a new way of living grounded in God’s love and justice.In this holy season, the Church calls us to the three pillars of Lent: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. These disciplines are not merely external acts; they are meant to shape our character, purify our intentions, and renew our relationships with God and with one another.Fasting invites us to abstain not only from food but also from immorality—the sins that wound our souls and our communities. In Liberia, as in many parts of the world, we witness the destructive power of greed, selfishness, abuse of power, corruption, and the misuse of freedom of speech. These sins tear at the fabric of our society and betray the dignity that God has bestowed upon every human person.Saint Augustine teaches that true fasting is not merely self-denial; it is turning away from evil. It is rejecting selfishness and embracing justice; rejecting corruption and committing to integrity; rejecting harmful speech and fostering truth and reconciliation. Let us fast from these sins as we fast from food, so that our hearts may become pure temples of God’s love.Prayer, the second pillar, is our lifeline to God. Through prayer, we open ourselves to divine grace and guidance. In prayer, our hearts are softened, our minds enlightened, and our wills strengthened. Let us pray fervently for our nation, for our leaders, and for every citizen, that God may grant us wisdom, humility, and courage to build a Liberia rooted in peace, justice, and mutual respect.Almsgiving, the third pillar, calls us to mercy and solidarity with the poor and marginalized. In giving generously—whether of our resources, time, or compassion—we reflect the boundless generosity of God. We build a community where no one is forgotten and where the dignity of every person is upheld.As we begin this holy season, I call upon each of you—the faithful of the Archdiocese and all people of goodwill—to embrace this Lent as a time of genuine conversion. Let this not be a season of routine observance, but of real transformation. Let us renew our commitment to fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Let us consciously abstain from immorality, greed, selfishness, abuse of power, corruption, and irresponsible speech.In doing so, we draw closer to God and contribute to the healing and transformation of our beloved country.May the grace of this Lenten season strengthen us to live lives of holiness and justice, so that at Easter we may joyfully proclaim the victory of Christ’s love over sin and death.Amen.
Event Details
Organizer : Archdiocese of Monrovia Church Team
Start Date : Feb 18
End Date : Feb 18
Time : 10:00am
Cost : Free
More About Event : Parish
Event Venue
Venue : Sacred Heart Cathedral
Address : Broad Street, Monrovia
E-mail : archbishopofmonrovia@gmail.com
Phone : (+231)077-038-0872