Ash Wednesday

February 17, 2021

It’s Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Last year on Ash Wednesday I attended a service and had the sign of the cross drawn on my forehead in ashes. As he drew the ashen cross the Rector said “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return”. 

Before we went forward to receive the ash cross, we said together:

Let us now call to mind our sin
and the infinite mercy of God.

Most of us don’t need reminding of the fragile vulnerability of our lives at this point in the pandemic, but it is good to remember that even in our struggles with ourselves and our circumstances we can be mindful of God’s infinite mercy.

Many of us “give up” something for Lent, often booze or chocolate or some such thing. The purpose of the Lenten season is to engage in some sacrificial behaviour that connects us with the suffering obedience of Jesus in the last six weeks of his earthly ministry. His road to the Garden, the courtrooms and prison cells, to the cross and to the tomb are what we are trying to remember. And remember in ways that enrich our lives and allow us to serve with greater love and obedience.

I was walking my regular hiking trail a few weeks ago and suddenly a dog surged out of a group I was going to pass, pulling the owner and barking at me. She yelled at me to just go around her. My response may not have been as charitable as I would have wished and as I continued my walk, I angrily replayed the exchange in my alleged mind.

The next day I was passing the same spot on the same trail, without incident, but found myself having the same angry replay of the conversation intruding in my walk. I realized this was a spiral to nowhere healthy and began to say “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.” I switched to the urgent cry of the blind man “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.” 

I was reminded of my need for help even in something as silly as this encounter, but it helped to join a memory of Jesus’ life and his infinite mercy to another who had needs.

There are plenty of studies showing increases in alcohol, weed, and food consumption as we cope with this time. It’s all the more reason for us to find a healthy way to redirect some of the longing that finds comfort in these things towards one who draws out of self-focus and into a healthier sense of being part of the eternal story.

Many of you know I regularly use Sacred Space at www.sacredspace.ie for my morning reflections. It will take you gently through the Lenten season. They also have a Lenten specific booklet available on Kindle called Sacred Space for Lent 2021.

We don’t need another obligation to manage, another rule to be hectored about but the infinitely merciful One invites us to take moments out of our day to remember that for which we are grateful, needy, hopeful, fearful and to find companionship with his life and advocacy for us.

If using a prayer guide seems too onerous perhaps find a moment of quiet to say “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me.”  It connects our need with God’s mercy.

Goodness of friendship grow among us,

Norm