February 20, 2026 // Friday after Ash Wednesday // Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s First Reading: Isaiah 58:1-9a
Reflect on the Word //
The kids were in the midst of the great stuffed animal purge. Somehow these plushies had multiplied as they tend to do. The girls were struggling with what to keep and what to share. While they truly treasure every claw machine-, arcade-, or carnival prize-stuffed animal they have ever won or had been gifted to them, the downsizing was to help reorient their hearts. The youngest was satisfied with her offerings and even mentioned how proud of herself she was—as six-year-olds typically do.
After Sunday Mass that weekend, we walked over to a family we had just met a couple of weeks ago. My daughter had chosen this particular family to give her stuffed friends to. There was so much smiling and hugging that the joy outweighed the actual value of what was in the bag. The mom lowered her body to meet her daughter’s eyes and whispered in her ear, "Tell your auntie thank you.” I was struck with my new title, felt the demonstration of affection deeply, and marveled at how easily this mother gave her love away.
In today’s First Reading, it is not the mere act of our fasting the Lord is interested in, but rather of how well we love others in our fasting, how responsive and willing we are to be Jesus in the flesh to our brother or sister in Christ. The Lord offers us His self-giving love, and in Lent we are called to offer that same love to others. Every Lent the opportunities for almsgiving are countless. The real work is giving of ourselves to the people next to us sitting in our pews.
We can begin exercising the corporal works of mercy within the walls of church, where we learn that generosity is an extension of a greater type of love. It can be something as simple as a stuffed animal, and then we can allow the Lord to work from there.
Relate to the Lord // How can you extend Jesus’ self-giving love today?
Mytae Carrasco Wallace is Las Vegas born and raised and holds a Masters in Public Administration. She and her husband have the privilege of leading Pre-Cana retreats for their home parish. On the daily you can find her raising her three kiddos, choreographing dance moves to entertain her children, and doing her own version of carpool karaoke. She was a contributing author to All She Had. Find out more about her here. Mytae es creada y nacida en Las Vegas, NV. Tiene su Maestría en Administración Pública. Ella y su esposo tienen el privilegio de dirigir los retiros de Pre-Cana para su parroquia. Diariamente puedes encontrarla criando a sus tres hijos, coreografiando movimientos de baile para entretener a sus hijos y cantando su propia versión de karaoke en el carro. Fue autora contribuyente de All She Had. Conozca la mejor aquí..
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