“Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” Father Leo speaks these words as he marks our foreheads with ashes today, on the first day of Lent. The 40 days of Lent are in memory of the 40 days Jesus spent praying and fasting in the desert. It is a time for us to reflect on our faith, to dwell on our strengths and weaknesses and to spend time in quietness and prayer.
We are ambassadors for Christ and as such are examples to those around us. But before we can inspire others we have to know ourselves. Know your talents and the areas you need to work on. Lent is the perfect time for that.
The traditional model of Lent is to give something up. To sacrifice something of great personal importance. Today, Father Leo suggested an alternative. He asked if there was anyone present who doesn’t want to be better. Is there anyone here who likes the way they are 100%? The room was silent. Father Leo went on to ask if there is anything you do well. Are you a good listener? A good helper? Are you good at making other people feel better? Perhaps you are forgiving or patient. Even with the things we excel in, there is always room to grow.
Father Leo explained the visual reminders we have of the Lenten season. There are no plants in the church. The vestments are purple and pink. And the greatest visual reminder is the ashes in the shape of a cross on our foreheads. You may have experienced the urge to rub your forehead after you received your ashes. It’s not necessarily the most comfortable experience. There were definitely some students who fought the impulse. Or maybe you feel slightly embarrassed walking around the grocery store or the neighborhood with the ashes. But remember what they symbolize. We leave them there to remind ourselves and others of our faith. The ashes are a mark of our repentance.
Towards the end of the service, we sang “O Word of God.”
“O Word of God, come into this space. O Word of God, come send us your grace. Open our minds; show us your truth. Transform our lives anew.”
Through God’s Word and His grace, we are made new. Through this season of Lent, think about the ways God is calling you to grow. How can you better love your neighbor? How can you better serve God? How can you better care for yourself? We are never done learning or growing. Fortunately, we have the ultimate teacher and counselor in Christ.