Lenten Season · Ash Wednesday · Year C

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Almsgiving, Prayer, and Fasting in Secret

March 1, 2028

The Lord's Prayer, James Tissot — **The Lord's Prayer**, James Tissot, 1886-1894Brooklyn Museum, New York · public domain

Roman Lectionary

GospelMatt. 6:1-6, 16-18

First ReadingJoel 2:12-18

Responsorial PsalmPs. 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14, 17

Second Reading2 Cor. 5:20-6:2

Overview & Insights

"But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3).

Jesus instructs his disciples to practice almsgiving, prayer, and fasting without seeking public recognition, so that their Father who sees in secret will reward them. This teaching from the Sermon on the Mount is the traditional gospel that opens Lent.

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Commentary

Working Preacher: Commentary on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Working Preacher

The Luther Seminary commentary written for this exact Ash Wednesday gospel.

Enduring Word: Matthew 6 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's accessible verse-by-verse walk through the whole chapter.

BibleHub: Matthew 6 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregates multiple classic commentaries side by side on verse 1.

Precept Austin: Matthew 6 Commentary (Spurgeon) Precept Austin

Spurgeon's exposition of the whole chapter, curated with cross references.

Episcopal Church: Ash/Dust (Ash Wednesday 2026) Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church

Sermons That Work's current-year Ash Wednesday sermon for the Anglican voice.

Background & Word Study

BibleHub Interlinear: Matthew 6 BibleHub

Shows the underlying Greek for dikaiosyne (righteousness) and hypokrites word by word.

Enter the Bible: Matthew Course Enter the Bible

Luther Seminary background on Matthew's Gospel and the Sermon on the Mount.

BibleProject: Gospel of Matthew Overview (Part 1) BibleProject

Animated overview of Matthew 1-13, which frames the Sermon on the Mount.

The Church Fathers

Catena: Matthew 6 Catena

Patristic comments on almsgiving, prayer, and fasting from Chrysostom and others.

Sermons & Reflections

Christian Century: Ash Wednesday Lectionary Essay The Christian Century

A preaching essay on secrecy and reward in Matthew's Ash Wednesday text.

Worship & Prayers

The Lectionary Page: Ash Wednesday The Lectionary Page

BCP readings and the Ash Wednesday collect in one printable page.

Podcast

Sermon Brainwave: Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Working Preacher

Working Preacher's roundtable podcast on this Sunday's full set of readings.

Art & Music

Vanderbilt: Ash Wednesday, Year C Vanderbilt

Curated public-domain artwork paired with each Ash Wednesday reading.

Study Hub

Textweek: Matthew 6:1-21 Study Hub Textweek

A hub of links to commentary, sermons, and hymn suggestions on this text.

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