PHOTOS | Archbishop Aquila's Final Ash Wednesday Message: Listen to Jesus
- André Escaleira, Jr.
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
As Catholics across Northern Colorado marked the beginning of Lent on Wednesday, Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila celebrated his last Ash Wednesday Mass as shepherd of Northern Colorado. Earlier this month, it was announced that Pope Leo XIV had accepted his retirement and named his successor, Most Rev. James R. Golka. Archbishop Aquila’s last day will be March 25, when Archbishop-designate Golka will be installed as the sixth Archbishop of Denver.
As the refrains “Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return” and “Repent and believe in the Gospel” echoed through the Cathedral, hundreds of faithful were marked with ashes, recalling the fragility of life and our need for God. The well-attended noon Mass was the perfect way to enter into the holy season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
In his homily, Archbishop Aquila emphasized the importance of the sacred season, encouraging the faithful to deeper faith and trust in God. He invited Massgoers to consider what voices they heed and what goals they prioritize, leaving behind worldly pursuits and considerations like politics, wealth, prestige and power in favor of Gospel humility and faithful discernment.
(Photos by Neil McDonough)
The exhortation came mere hours after his final pastoral note, Encounter Jesus: Listening with the Heart, was published. In the note, Archbishop Aquila exhorted a similar spirit of discernment.
“Before we speak, before we act, before we attempt to solve problems or defend positions, we are called first to listen,” the archbishop wrote. “Sacred Scripture shows us a God who listens. At the burning bush, the Lord says to Moses, ’I have witnessed the affliction of my people … I have heard their cry’ (Exodus 3:7). Our God is not distant or indifferent. He hears. He sees. He knows. He loves us even when we are far from him. Divine listening precedes divine action. And if God listens to us, how much more must we learn to listen to him first before we speak or act?”
In fact, Archbishop Aquila noted in his pastoral note and his homily, Lent provides us the annual opportunity to slow down, make room for that listening and hear the Lord Jesus.
“Lent invites us to create space for this listening,” he noted. “In a world filled with noise — constant news, endless commentary, social media and hurried conversations — silence can feel uncomfortable. Yet silence is the soil in which the Word of God takes root. Without silence, the Word remains on the surface of our lives. With silence, it penetrates our hearts.”
As an examination of our discernment and listening, Archbishop Aquila proposed several questions for reflection in Encountering Jesus:
Do I hear Jesus speaking to me personally?
When he addresses the disciples, the crowds, the sick, the sinners, do I also recognize that he is speaking to me, in a deeply personal way?
Is Jesus the one who is my true teacher, forming my heart and mind?
Is he enlightening my decisions, not only in church, but also in my family life, my work, my friendships, how I treat my enemies and those who persecute me, my use of time and resources?
Or do I listen more attentively to the voices of culture, politics, the evil one or my personal preference?
At the core, the archbishop noted, this holy season is about deeper intimacy, closer friendship with Jesus Christ.
As the faithful of Northern Colorado take up the “campaign of Christian service,” as the opening prayer of the Ash Wednesday Mass refers to the Lenten season, Archbishop Aquila exhorted them to spend time in prayer, especially Eucharistic adoration; to give up meaningful things so as to grow closer to Jesus who alone satisfies; and to be mindful of the poor, offering them alms, service and personal care.
Looking to Mary, he encouraged the faithful to walk the Lenten journey towards the Cross, even to find ourselves standing with her at Our Lord’s feet come Good Friday.
“In closing, as we journey together through this holy season, let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who listened perfectly to the Word, allowed it to become flesh within her and stood faithfully at the foot of the Cross. May she teach us to listen with open hearts, to trust in God’s Providence and to offer our own faithful ‘yes,’” the archbishop concluded his pastoral note. “May this Lent be a true time of conversion for each of us and for our archdiocese, so that in this season of transition and grace we may grow in deeper faith, firmer hope and more ardent charity and find our hearts renewed by the mercy of Christ.”
