Ash Wednesday Sermon Summary – Feb 18 2026

Expressions of Self Denial 

Matthew 6: 1 – 6, 16-18

Our Lord taught His followers to live a meaningful blessed life. He explained how they can be blessed. In our Gospel passage today we read what Jesus taught as He preached about self denial in His sermon on the mount. 

1. Generosity  – Give

Matthew 6: 2

The first thing Jesus taught was generosity.  The religious leaders demonstrated a lot of generosity; but it was for self glory.  Jesus taught us that everything they did was for others to praise them. Our Lord called them hypocrites. That means, those who do not have integrity. Our Lord said, “Do not be like them. They have already received their reward.”  The Lord encouraged all His followers to give generously but without advertising it. This is a wonderful expression of self denial. 

2.  Intercession  – Pray

Matthew 6: 7

The second thing Jesus taught was to pray. Even while praying, the religious leaders prayed for people to see them and admire their prayers. Jesus called them hypocrites again and He taught us to pray in secret to the Father.  Jesus said that our Father already knows our needs so we must not pray with vain repetitions as the heathen do. Our Lord also gave us a model prayer which we call, The Lord’s Prayer.  We must pray that we will be heard by God. When we pray in secret from our hearts, God will hear us in secret and will reward us openly. Jesus taught us the way to receive blessings from the Father. 

3.  Penance – Fast

Matthew 6: 16

Finally, Jesus taught about meaningful fasting. Today we also heard from the first reading of the prophet Isaiah chapter 58. God says that fasting just to show others that we are fasting is hypocrisy. The expression of self denial is to fast meaningfully so that our Father accepts our fasting. When we fast meaningfully, our Father will openly reward us. Our Lord calls all His followers to receive God’s blessings. The best way to receive His blessings is to keep away from hypocrisy.  Hypocrites will never receive God’s blessings. 

As we enter the Lent Season, the Lord invites us to a season of self denial. He taught us these three expressions of self denial so we will be blessed as we journey through the Lent. Amen