March 6: Ash Wednesday (C)
The antiphon makes use of the same music as two-and-a-half weeks previously (February 17, 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, qv.) but with a different text in the first line.
Here, the first half of the text is derived from the Gospel of the Day:
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you (Mt 6:4)
and
pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. (Mt 6:6)
The second half comes from the remainder of the Gospel, with reference to fasting (hungering and thirsting):
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. (Mt 6:18)
Almsgiving, praying, and fasting are the threefold exercises of Lent; in communion God fills us with the strength to do all three.
The psalm verses are from the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-10), using the same psalm tone as on February 17.