Community and the penitential time

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary announce the beginning of the penitential time of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday.  Joel writes of the response of the people to the call from God to return to Me.  Joel praises the grace, mercy and love of God which makes reconciliation possible. The contrast between personal sin as recognized by the prayer in Psalm 51 and the call of Joel to assemble the congregation and seek communal reconciliation is part of the commentary of Friar Jude Winkler today. We are aware of our unity and we support each other when we gather as a community with God. The Body of Christ is called to be ambassador for Him in the world as Paul proclaims to the Corinthians. The witness of communal acceptance of the will of God to listen to the invitation to intimacy makes salvation known to all. The movement present at the same time as communal restoration is the salvation of the individual. Paul exerts that now is the acceptable time for this movement. Christian tradition calls us to recognize our sinfulness before God and seek forgiveness at any and all time, as Winkler suggests. The personal practice of this reconciliation is commemorated by non public almsgiving, prayer and fasting. The Gospel of Matthew offers Jesus direction which makes it less likely that we are seeking recognition for our charity and religious practice in our observance of the three fold activity to heighten our personal awareness of the self centered behaviour in our lives which blocks the fullness of Love from being lived and witnessed.  We restart our personal quiet movement to holiness with the community which is the Body of Christ.