Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a season of preparation for Easter, as we walk with Jesus Christ; through Good Friday and onto Easter. How do we prepare? Our liturgy for Ash Wednesday tells us that we prepare for the great Pascal mystery of Easter by observing a holy Lent – by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and by studying scripture.
Normally, we think of Lent as a time to give something up (chocolate, eating between meals, alcohol), by denying ourselves of certain pleasures. But Lent is so much grander than simple fasting or denial. Lent is indeed a time for:
– Self-examination – when we consider our lives; who we are before God; what’s good about us and what needs changing.
– Penitence – if we find that we have sinned we are to acknowledge it, make changes, right a wrong (if possible) and move on.
– Fasting – reigning in our over indulgent appetites.
I like the metaphor of a juggler for Lent. We expect the juggler to toss a few balls into the air and to catch them. A juggler who only tosses balls into the air and doesn’t catch them is no juggler at all. So, to only spend Lent to navel gaze, feel sorry for ourselves and fasting from candy and booze is hardy even half the job. It’s like a juggler tossing the balls into the air without even trying to catch them, because Lent is also a time for:
– Prayer – being open to the divine presence when we get up in the morning, or before we lay down to sleep at night; at noon-time, or any time during the day – to stop, to be quiet, to pray, to be open to God’s love and forgiveness.
– Almsgiving – to give of our time, talent and yes even our treasure (our money) for the work and ministry of the church, for the work and ministry of this church.
– Studying scripture – to be sure that one of the principle ways God has chosen to be revealed to us is in the words of Holy Scripture.
We deny ourselves certain things in this season of preparation so that we can be open to the presence of God in our lives. We toss the balls into the air and we catch them.
From time to time during Lent you may ask yourself; why am I doing this? Because God loves you. More than anything else, the Easter message is about the depth and breadth of God’s love. He is risen, Alleluia! Not even the grave, not even the death of Jesus Christ, the son of God and our Saviour, can separate us from the love of God. And so, this season of preparation begins with a message of love: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
This message may not sound like love at first hearing, but think about it. What is dust? What are the ashes we speak of today? Carbon, the building blocks of creation. “…you are dust” (ashes); you are made of the stuff of creation; you are made of that which God loves. This is the message we remind ourselves of today by this action, the imposition of ashes: God loves us. “…and to dust you shall return”: you shall return to God, the creator and maker of all, the creator and lover of all.
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