Ash Wednesday

Happy Ash Wednesday, interwebs! I'm not sure if you're supposed to say "Happy" Ash Wednesday, since it's supposed to be a solemn day, but it doesn't really make much of a difference to me, so I'm over it. My community had Mass with ashes today, and it was the first time that one of my roommates has ever gotten ashes. She's been a Catholic her whole life, so it surprised me that she had never done the ashes thing. She explained to me that her family never participated in the ashes because it seemed like a cheap way to "one-up" people who aren't outwardly "religious" on this one day of the year. In some ways, the ashes remind me of that passage in the Gospels where Jesus is chastising the Pharisees for praying in the streets and beating their breasts for the whole world to see. Doesn't Jesus tell us to pray in secret? Doesn't Jesus warn us against showing off your faith like it's a girl scout badge? If that's the case, what's the deal with the ashes, and why are they such a central part of Church tradition? I understand that the ashes are last year's burnt palms, and it symbolizes our sin and our willingness to change some of our sinful habits during the season of Lent. But sometimes I wonder if we get caught up in the ritual too much and forget the real meaning of what we're doing. It's the Protestant side of me, I suppose.

I've been reading a daily devotional entitled "Jesus Calling" since the beginning of the year. I haven't been the best of actually reading it every day, but tonight's devotional was particularly beautiful...

"Rest in My radiant presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything if a blur. Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized: filled with My Love, Joy, and Peace. The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone, and your weakness will become saturated with My Power. When you find your completeness in Me, you can help other people without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence, and your light will shine brightly into the lives of others."

"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things." - Galatians 5:22-23

I love this reflection because it dwells so much within the image of light. Lent is a time to think critically about ourselves and all of the ways that we're not living up to the way God wants us to live. But we do this so much that we so easily forget our most fundamental value: that we are people of the Light. Before we messed up, before we sinned, before we hurt ourselves and those around us: before all that, we were in the Light. And I would argue that we're still in the Light, even if all we see is darkness. During this season of Lent, God is calling us to be people of Light, shining in front of others so that they, too, can see beauty and love and peace and joy. So, this Lent, I'm not going to worry so much about what I'm "giving up". I'm going to try to think more critically about how I can bring Light to others.

Do they see Jesus in me?

I wish you all a blessed Lent.

Peace,
Liz