Ash Wednesday

Reflection Date: February 18, 2026 Ash Wednesday
Daily Readings: Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Children of God:
What happens if we program The Terminator to save Jesus from dying?

There is a funny YouTube short movie parody to The Greatest Love  Story Ever Told. 

This is the parody about The Terminator going to the time of Jesus to prevent him from dying on the cross. The title of the parody is: The Greatest Action Story Ever Told.

Instead of focusing on the life of Jesus as a story of sacrifice and love, the parody imagined the Terminator being sent back in time. 

The Terminator followed Jesus around, trying to protect Him from danger. He fought the soldiers who wanted to arrest Him. 

He tried to change events so that the crucifixion would not happen. 

He even attempted to convince Jesus to escape instead of surrendering. 

He even shot Judas during the Last Supper.

But no matter what he did, the story of salvation continued as it was meant to be. 

In the end, the Terminator saw Mary crying at the foot of the cross. 

With a gentle voice, he told her, “Do not worry, he is coming back.”

As we enter into the Season of Lent, as we receive ashes on our foreheads this Ash Wednesday, we are invited to reflect on how genuine our spiritual life truly is.

What are our inspirations for today?

First, real holiness is not a performance but a personal transformation.

Jesus told His disciples to give alms in secret so that the left hand would not know what the right hand was doing. This teaching showed that true generosity does not need an audience. Real charity flows from a heart that genuinely cares for others and not from a desire to be admired, liked, commented on, or being viral. 

On this Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that our acts of kindness must come from love and not from pride.

When Jesus spoke about prayer, He asked His followers to pray in private and not to seek attention. He wanted them to understand that prayer is a relationship and not a public show. 

Many people today are tempted to display their religiosity on social media or in front of others. But Jesus called us to meet the Father in the quiet room of our hearts. 

Even fasting was taught by Jesus as something joyful and hidden, not something to advertise.

The Lord did not want His disciples to look miserable just to gain sympathy. 

This season of Lent invites us to examine whether our religious practices are helping us become better persons. 

Second, real repentance is not about appearances but about inner renewal.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our Lenten journey, a time to return to God with all our hearts. 

The ashes we receive are a sign that life is short and that conversion is necessary. 

Jesus reminded His listeners that God looks at the intention behind every action. 

Jesus warned against practicing righteousness only to be noticed by others. He wanted His disciples to understand that external actions without inner change are empty. 

Real repentance means letting go of pride, selfishness, and hypocrisy. 

Lent challenges us to look honestly at our lives and to ask what needs to be corrected. 

The message of Ash Wednesday is clear and simple, repent and believe in the gospel. The ashes on our foreheads remind us that we are sinners in need of God’s mercy. 

But they also remind us that conversion is possible. This is the journey that begins today.

Children of God:
The ashes on our foreheads remind us that life is fragile and that every day is an opportunity to return to God. 

Jesus calls us to pray more deeply, to give more generously, and to fast more sincerely. 

He invites us to examine our motives and to purify our intentions. 

May this Ash Wednesday be the start of genuine renewal in our hearts.