On Ash Wednesday, the Catholic faithful of the Holy Land begin their Lenten journey. May Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who for our salvation fasted forty days in the wilderness, receive our repentance and have mercy upon us sinners. On Ash Wednesday, we become mindful that we are dust and to dust we shall return. May this Lenten season grant us contrite hearts, watchful minds, and hearts turned towards the Savior. As we enter the season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, may Our God deliver us from empty rituals and self-righteousness. May God teach us the fast which He has chosen, which will loosen the bonds of injustice, break off the yoke of oppression, feed the hungry, house the stranger, and clothe the naked. May the faithful look with compassion upon the Palestinian children of the Holy Land. May the Lord preserve their lives, defend their dignity, and grant them a future rooted in hope and peace. May our prayers strengthen us to bear one another’s burdens. May our fasting bear the fruits of justice and mercy, to the glory of God’s Holy Name. Amen.