Catholics participate in Ash Wednesday rite

Bishop Daniel E. Flores’ Lenten message encouraged the renewal of relationships.

“Relationships with God, your neighbor and self is where the grace of God can take root,” said Flores, dressed in the white and purple vestments of the season as he spoke at the Ash Wednesday Mass on the university campus.

For the more than one million Catholics the Diocese of Brownsville counts among its population, Wednesday began the 40 days of penance, fasting and charity observed during the season leading up to Easter.

Several images of Jesus Christ were displayed as Flores stood in front an altar in a large room at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College student union.

He encouraged people to speak to God. He also said worshippers should truly care about the suffering of others and encouraged them to pick one personal relationship to reconcile this season.

“Sometimes the hardest people to love are the ones you love the most,” he said. “We don’t always have tomorrow. Be the bigger person. Pick up the phone and call.”

Flores said fasting is an important part of Lent and of establishing a relationship with one’s own self.

“If that’s one thing the modern world doesn’t like, it’s saying no to ourselves,” he said. “Don’t do something that’s going to make you grumpy. ... Say no to the little things, so you can say yes to something else.”

Every Ash Wednesday, ashes — created by burning the palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday and then blessed — are placed upon the foreheads of worshippers in the sign of the cross as a symbol of penance and a reminder of mortality. Some Anglican and Protestant churches also hold special services to mark parishioners’ foreheads with ashes.

Yaritza Lopez, an 18-year-old UTB-TSC freshman studying nursing, was one of many who left the Mass with the mark of ashes. She said she was inspired to join the UTB-TSC Catholic Campus Ministry after the service.

“I thought it was a pretty good message,” Lopez said of Flores’ homily. “I’m not really that in touch with my religion, but the way he explained it helped me understand God is there for everyone.”

Miguel Santos, director of campus and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Brownsville, said it was a blessing to have the bishop show his support for campus ministry.

Flores left worshippers with one last thought during his sermon.

“It doesn’t cost anything to be kind.”