We begin with the sign of the cross, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Examine your conscience and feel sorry for your sins. (Take a few minutes. In silence, remember and feel sorry for your sins, and think of ways you will amend your life.)

Pray the Act of Contrition.

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting and abstinence, and a great way to begin our retreat, with penance. We reflect on all that is of utmost importance. What is the most important thing or person in your life? Whom does your life revolve around? If God is of the utmost importance, then we have made a right choice, because anything else will not last forever. If you have attended mass today, your forehead will be marked with a cross using ashes, a solemn reminder of our human mortality and the need for our return to God. We are called to repent of our sins and believe in the gospel.

We love God because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). It was God who took His first steps towards us. He created us, just like Himself, in His own image and likeness, pure, holy, and immortal. However, through our disobedience, we lost all that was good in us and became mortals. Even though we rebelled against Him and were in enmity with Him, God continued to love us and wanted to restore us back to life. He wanted to save us from the punishment and death we truly deserve. He wanted to raise us back to life, because He couldn’t bear to lose us for eternity. Therefore, He who alone is holy and worthy, took our form and became a mortal, so that He could exchange with us His eternal life. He died in our place, so that if we believe in Him, He will raise us from the dead. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:13-14).

Our relationship with God is a two-way relationship. God loves us, and to be saved, we too must love Him in return. It’s like a marriage, there is a bride and the bridegroom. Both must make a commitment to love each other. In a marriage, the couples say, “I do”, as they make their commitment when they take their marital vows. They agree to be with each other, in all the joys and sorrows of life. They no longer walk alone, but together, with Christ. Similarly, in our relationship with God, Jesus Christ is the bridegroom, and the Church is His bride. Every baptised person is a bride of Christ individually, and the people of God, collectively known as the Church, also is the bride of Christ. For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth he is called (Isaiah 54:5).

Jesus Christ gave His life for us; in return he is asking us to make a commitment to love Him, and we can prove our love for Him by obeying his commandments. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Today, as you begin this Lenten journey, make a commitment to love God and to obey His commandments.

As a bride of Christ, let us renew our baptismal promise by saying, “I do” in our response, and then sprinkle ourselves with holy water.

V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.

To receive abundance of graces during this retreat, you can choose to do any of the following daily:

Attend the Holy Mass daily.

Pray the Rosary.

Pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy.

Pray and meditate on the Way of the Cross.

Pray at least 15 minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Read the bible and mediate on scripture for at least 15 minutes.

Invite others to join this retreat, as a family or as a group.

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