My first post today was in regards to how we should understand the penance of Ash Wednesday and the Lenten Season. This post is in regards to how we should not understand it. This is what our Lord has to say on the matter:

Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them…when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

I am sure you have noticed the pictures of the unholy trinity at top. By posting these pictures and this quote from our Lord am I thereby suggesting that these three so-called Catholic politicians are hypocrites? Yes! Yes, I am. But my reason for saying so is not just beause of the ashes on their foreheads.

It might be pointed out by someone that many faithful Catholics go the whole day on Ash Wednesday displaying the ashes on their foreheads they received at Mass in the morning. Given what our Lord had to say about the matter I am not sure how that custom came about but nevertheless that is our custom. And as such, I am willing to accept it. What I cannot accept is the above mentioned politicians, and others like them, who are so obviously insincere about their Catholic faith. These people embody the very definition of hypocrite. They claim to be faithful Catholics and yet consistently speak out against the teachings of the Church. The most obvious example of this is the pro-death, pro-abortion stance they all claim as their own.

Please understand that I would be the first to admit that I, in addition to these politicians, am a sinner. I am not saying that I am better than them. My point is that they need to repent. And of course, we all do! But those who are knowingly unrepentant in regards to serious sin are endangering their eternal souls. In addition, because these three (and others) are such public figures their unrepentance leads to scandal. The whole world hears what they have to say and it does not coincide with what they claim to believe and so the Truth is distorted. Let us all pray that we may truly repent from our sins during this Lent and let us especially pray for those who are knowingly unrepentant. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.