Please Note: In light of increasingly frequent inquiries, I want to assure all listeners that the voice in these recordings is *NOT AI generated*; it is my (InPrincipio Podcast’s) own human voice, unworthy as it is. Thank you. A meditation for Ash Wednesday, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”. On Ash Wednesday the Church abruptly turns from the fleeting mirth of the world to the solemn fast of Lent, summoning her children to spiritual combat through humility, penance, and recollection of death. Marked with blessed ashes—made from the palms of the previous year—the faithful hear the sentence first pronounced in Genesis: “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and unto dust thou shalt return,” and are called to accept with contrite hearts both the justice and the mercy of God. The ancient rite, once imposed publicly upon penitents and now extended to all, expresses sorrow for sin, detachment from earthly pride, and resolve to make satisfaction through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The liturgy, echoing the prophet Joel and the Gospel of St. Matthew, insists on interior conversion rather than mere outward show, urging the faithful to rend their hearts, store up treasures in heaven, and undertake the Lenten fast not with gloom but with hopeful confidence that, united to Christ’s own sacrifice, their penance will purify their souls and prepare them for the joy of Easter.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a deep contemplative spirit, aims to immerse the faithful in the Church’s prayerful life, emphasizing the unity of faith through the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief"), and remains a cherished resource for Catholics seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875) was a French Benedictine monk, liturgical scholar, and founder of the Solesmes Abbey, renowned for his pivotal role in reviving the Benedictine Order in France and restoring the Roman liturgy after the disruptions of the French Revolution. Born in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, he entered the priesthood in 1827 and, inspired by a vision to restore monastic life, reestablished the Benedictine community at Solesmes in 1833, becoming its first abbot. A staunch defender of ultramontanism and traditional Catholic worship, he also championed the revival of Gregorian chant, significantly influencing the liturgical renewal movement.Link to the Dom Guéranger's Liturgical Year playlist (updated daily): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKdyYnV_bkh7rH6piW0ShgsdcefFoOvJIf you would like to support this channel:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/InprincipioPodcastPayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=U5EZ9X2CE2V7WMost sincere thanks to all who are able to contribute, by your prayers, your patronage, or otherwise. Your support sustains this work and helps make these readings available to others.Music: Ave Maria (Gregorian chant)From Vesperae de Confessore non Pontifice in honor of Saint Vincent PallottiPerformed by Schola Gregoriana, Pallottine Seminary (Ołtarzew, Poland)Conductor: Fr. Dariusz SmolarekLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/Changes: noneExcept where otherwise noted, original content © InPrincipio Podcast.Chant audio used under CC BY-SA 3.0.
