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Sharing the Word is a daily 90-second radio homily by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, based on the weekday Mass readings. Sharing the Word is a companion to the Sunday Soundbite,and is also heard on Catholic radio stations around the country.

Program for Wednesday, February 13, 2013 (Ash Wednesday)
Lent works from within us. Lent is for everybody.

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Sharing the Word Archive

Today's Reading

Joel 2:12-18

Today is the first day of Lent, the Church’s season of repentance. The prophet Joel gives us two insights into what repentance involves.

First, repentance is an affair of the heart. It’s not just behavior modification, not just taking on “practices.” If there is no change of will, no attempt to modify the inclinations of our heart, then the change of behavior or the penitential practices simply won’t happen. Or they won’t mean much if they do.

Joel’s second insight is that the call to repentance is addressed to everyone--elders, children, brides and grooms, priests. No one is exempt simply because there is no one whose heart is already fully in tune with the Lord.

Lent works from with us. Lent is for everybody.

Meet Archbishop Pilarczyk

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, the eighth ordinary of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a nationally prominent churchman, educator and author. A native of Dayton, Ohio, he was ordained a priest on December 20, 1959, after studies in Rome. He was ordained bishop in 1974 and installed as Archbishop of Cincinnati in 1982, where he served until his retirement in 2009. In addition to a doctorate in sacred theology from Pontifical Urban University, he holds an M.A. in classics from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in classics from the University of Cincinnati. He has written more than a dozen popular books and many pamphlets and articles. His best-selling book is Twelve Tough Issues – And More. His most recent books are When God Speaks and Live Letters. The archbishop’s service to the American church includes terms as vice president (1986-1989) and president (1989-1992) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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