Cardinal Brislin Calls for Renewal and Repentance at Ash Wednesday Mass

by Kati Dijane · February 19, 2026

Ash Wednesday Mass at Christ the King Cathedral in Johannesburg

By Kati Dijane – The faithful gathered at Christ the King Cathedral in central Johannesburg to mark Ash Wednesday on February 18, the beginning of the Lenten season.

Cardinal Stephen Brislin, the Archbishop of Johannesburg, presided over Mass. Joining him to concelebrate Mass were Father Lawrence Ndlovu, the administrator of the cathedral, and Father Joshua Moorosi Mpiti SCJ, the provincial of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

During Mass, Cardinal Brislin reflected on the deeper meaning of Lent, urging Catholics to embrace three essential pillars of the season: renewal, reconciliation and repentance.

Addressing the community who attended Mass, Cardinal Brislin began by highlighting the three traditional Lenten practices: fasting, prayer and almsgiving – disciplines that Catholics are encouraged to observe more intentionally during this sacred period.

“These are things we are very familiar with,” he said, noting that while special emphasis is placed on them during Lent, they are meant to shape the daily lives of believers throughout the year.

A time for renewal

Cardinal Brislin described Lent as a time of renewal, particularly of one’s inner spiritual life.

Drawing on the image of a home that requires maintenance, repainting and repair, he encouraged the faithful to look inward and examine their own spiritual condition.

“From time to time,” he said, “we need to look into ourselves and ask: how do we need to renew our spiritual life? What bad habits have we slipped into? Have we become complacent in our faith? Have we lost the passion we once had?”

He described Lent as a “spiritual battle”, echoing the language of the Church’s opening prayer for Ash Wednesday, which calls believers to strengthen themselves for the struggles they face. While acknowledging that some battles come from external challenges, he emphasised that many struggles are internal.

Citing Saint Paul’s reflection on the tension between spirit and flesh, the cardinal noted that believers often found themselves wrestling with weaknesses, distractions and divided desires.

Lent, he said, offers an opportunity to rediscover fervour in faith and to rekindle passion for God.

The call to reconciliation

The second dimension of Lent, Cardinal Brislin explained, is reconciliation. Renewal cannot take place without reconciliation with God, with others and within oneself.

“We cannot be reconciled with God unless we become reconciled with our neighbour,” he said.

He acknowledged the everyday realities that strain relationships: anger, jealousy, envy, gossip and the tendency to put others down. Lent calls Christians not only to examine their inner lives, but also to renew their relationships.

Yet, reconciliation with others, he added, begins with reconciliation within oneself. Many people experience inner conflict, feeling pulled in different directions, lacking peace and harmony in their hearts.

“We don’t have peace within ourselves,” he said. “We don’t have a sense of joyfulness within our hearts.”

Finding that inner peace is an essential step towards healing relationships and restoring harmony with others. Ultimately, it leads to reconciliation with God, who, he reminded the congregation, is “a God filled with tenderness and mercy.”

Cardinal Brislin encouraged the faithful to take practical steps during Lent, particularly by approaching the sacrament of reconciliation.

“That is why we always encourage people, especially in this time of Lent, to go to confession,” he said, “so that we may be reconciled with God.”

Repentance at the heart of Lent

The third and foundational element of the Lenten journey, he said, is repentance.

Renewal and reconciliation are not possible without genuine repentance – a humble acknowledgement of one’s shortcomings and a sincere sorrow for sin.

“We cannot be reconciled with God; we cannot renew our inner selves without a true sense of repentance,” he said, pointing to pride, arrogance, selfishness and personal weakness as obstacles to spiritual growth.

Cardinal Brislin reminded the faithful that the Church is an inclusive community where all are welcome. However, belonging to the Church also requires a willingness to turn away from what does not reflect God’s will.

“Repentance is a necessary step for all of us,” he said.

To live authentically as Christians means striving to model one’s life on Jesus Christ – embodying His mercy, compassion and sense of justice. The cardinal highlighted Christ’s concern for the vulnerable, referring to “widows and orphans” as symbols of those who are voiceless and powerless in society.

Lent, he said, calls believers to stand in solidarity with such people and to cultivate a spirit of compassion and fairness.

Entering the Lenten journey

As ashes were distributed, a sign of human frailty and the call to conversion, Cardinal Brislin invited the congregation to carry three words with them throughout the Lenten season: renewal, reconciliation and repentance.

These, he said, are not abstract ideas but practical attitudes that shape Christian living. Through prayer, fasting and charity, Catholics are called to renew their hearts, mend broken relationships and turn back to God with humility.

He added that Lent was not merely a season of obligation, but an opportunity for transformation, a time to rebuild the inner life, restore relationships and return to the merciful heart of God.