Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday.

“Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return.”

We hear some variation on these words today as the priest or deacon marks our foreheads with ashes in the shape of a cross (or else we hear “repent and believe in the Gospel,” which is also, obviously, a good message, but doesn’t have quite as much oomph). With a jolt, we find that we have entered the somber season of Lent, a time of reflection and of purification.

The fact of the matter is that reflection and purification are not very pleasant. It’s much more enjoyable to busy ourselves with our jobs, our friends, our hobbies, any distraction or entertainment…all worthy things, certainly, but which we use for the wrong purpose, using them as a defense mechanism, a sort of smoke screen to distract us from that insistent little whisper in our ears…remember, man, that thou are dust, and to dust thou shalt return.

Lent is the time when we throw away our defenses and face that message. It is a sobering message, certainly, and one calculated to pare our egos down a bit…the realization that all our accomplishments, everything that we’re proud of, our very selves, are nothing more than dust. It’s also rather frightening…thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return. None of us like contemplating our own mortality. Far better to turn hastily back to our mind-numbing distractions.

But hiding from the truth doesn’t make it any less true, and there is often a relief in finally acknowledging a sobering fact and looking at it squarely. We are mortal. We are not here due to any merit or right of our own. These facts would be unbearable, but for one thing…the message of Easter.

The overwhelming mercy of Easter’s message is what makes the reflections of Lent fruitful. We deserve nothing…but we have been shown mercy. We will return to dust…but due to God’s unmerited grace, we will live forever. We perform penance during Lent to purify ourselves for the great, beautiful feast of Easter.

Starting this journey with the end in mind, then, I wish you all a holy, blessed, and fruitful Ash Wednesday and beginning of Lent.