Today is Ash Wednesday the beginning of the season of Lent. Many reflections come to my mind, in particular, the humility we should aspire to live by. It is also 2 days after St. Valentine's day, a day hijacked by secularism to reflect relationships. More on this later.
During Ash Wednesday, we receive the ashes as a sign of repentance, humility, and reminder of our finite existence on Earth. The use of ashes is not new and can be found in Sacred Scripture: Esther 4:1, Job 42:6, and Daniel 9:3.
The ashes remind us of our state of this world. "We are dust and to dust, we shall return" which comes from Genesis 3:19. It is a reminder that we are not an end in ourselves. Our lives, our successes, our education, in a word; our entire being returns to dust and ashes after death. All that we were or could have been is reduced to a pile of ashes. The whole thought is humbling. The very word 'humbling' comes from 'humility.' The word 'humility' comes from 'humus' which means 'dirt, soil or ashes from the Earth.' The ashes placed on us should remind us of humility. It should remind us that eventually, we will die and that life should be well spent, so to speak.
We do not have all the time in the world so we must make good use of it in order to try our best to follow God's will. As Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 states:
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;"God will call each one of us in due time. We will face judgment immediately after death as Hebrews 9:27 tells us, and there is no attorney nor can we make use of an alibi. It is important that we try to do God's will and not waste our lives on sin and other vices that give the illusion of happiness or joy. Like the quote from the classic movie, "A Bronx Tale" produced by Robert De Niro states: "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." We all have the talents necessary along with God's grace in order to live a virtuous life and grow spiritually. Ash Wednesday and Lent should remind us of this.
The ashes remind us of our finite state in this world. We are no almost a year from the onset of the alleged global pandemic of the covid-19 coronavirus. This virus froze the world, literally. Nations were and some still are on lockdown. Churches were shut down in many areas and still remain so. The Sacraments were denied to many. It has been a disastrous period. Let us not even forget the many deaths linked to this virus. Covid-19 reminded us of our mortality perhaps more than ashes could ever do. Life is short. Covid-19 has reminded us day after day about this. Many of us live in fear because of this virus. We are stuck now wearing masks and performing sanitary rituals. This is a sort of imposed Lent on all of us, Christian and non-Christian. We should reflect on this.
The popular Oscar-winning movie, "Joker" has a line where the Joker Arthur Fleck says, "I used to think that my life was a tragedy, but now I realize, it's a comedy." Many times, we may see life as a tragedy. Some even take their lives because of this belief. Life is not a tragedy. In fact, it is a comedy of sort. If we sit down and think carefully, the things we get mad over or that we let bother us are tiny compared to life and our potentiality. We are in control of our lives. Fasting and abstaining from meat remind us that we can give up anything in order to grow spiritually, even sustenance. This shouldn't be a burden for 'man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word of God." (Matthew 4:4)
As an atheist, existentialism was part of my frame of mind which states that all rests on the individual - we are an end in ourselves. Ash Wednesday added to my way of thinking. It reminded me that I am not an end in myself. My intellectual reasoning ability, my knowledge, my talents, etc eventually will dissipate as I take my last breath. This allowed me to consider that there has to be more to life, this couldn't be it on Earth. However, this is a topic for another blog post.
Unfortunately, some Catholics rely on the external aspect of days like Ash Wednesday. The "A&P Catholics" come to church on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday out of 'duty' or false piety and not a genuine search for God and discipline to grow more in Him. Like the Pharisees, they do not internalize the symbolism behind the sacramentals given on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday. Faith cannot become a mere "duty" or "obligation." It must be a way of life. The ashes on Ash Wednesday must not become a pagan ritual if you will. There is nothing magical about the use of ashes. It does not have any powers. They are just holy reminders of our mortality.
I hope you attending Ash Wednesday Mass today or if you receive ashes during a service that you remind yourself that we must be humble. We must remember that we are indeed 'dust and to dust, we shall return.' Nothing will change this. No advancements in science or medicine will make death a thing of the past. The ashes should remind us that the hourglass is slowly emptying and that we must make every effort to use every precious second to grow spiritually in God's grace. We will fall along the way, but God will help us get back up.
The first reading reminds us that we have to return to the Lord. Our fasting, the ashes we receive, our abstaining from meat much have an internal meaning, the rending of our hearts. God is merciful and gracious. He waits for us to return to Him. In this season of Lent, we must do our best to return to God. None of us are perfect. We all sin. However, sin is not the end of the story. Sin is the villain in our story that we have to defeat. We can only do this by living a holy life of prayer and reception of the Sacraments. These bring about a greater representation of Christ in the world. We begin to love God and our neighbor more and more. We start to gain the courage to face all trials. Lent is a special time in the Church. We walk with Jesus in the desert, face temptation, and walk out victorious with Christ Jesus.
The first reading reminds us of the need to ask God for mercy; to spare His people! We receive the ashes as a reminder of our mortality. Humans are just dust and to dust, they shall return. Scientifically speaking, we are carbon-based lifeforms who are made of "stardust," as the late Carl Sagan famously stated. Our accomplishments, our intelligence, our capacity to reason should not make us feel pride as if we are gods on earth; we are not! Nature is constantly reminding humanity that despite its accomplishments, a simple act of God can wipe everything away. The wildfires and losses of wildlife due to man-made activities that add to global warming remind us of how our pride will be our destruction. As Scripture says, after pride, the fall comes (Proverbs 16:18). Man thinks he can control the forces of nature and destroy the environment, but he is reminded time in and time out that God ordained nature to function in a certain way and if man interferes, he will suffer the consequences. Today, there is the fear of a pandemic that is taking hold. The Coronavirus or COVID19 is taking the world by storm. Is this divine justice, part of man-made global warming, or just nature doing its thing? We may never know. However, the timing cannot be coincidental. Nevertheless, even this disease is reminding man that he is not an end to himself. The ashes today remind us of this. This is why we must repent and believe in the Gospel.
We need mercy from God for we have sinned, as the responsorial Psalm says. God is indeed mercy. There is no sin He will not forgive unless it is the sin against the Holy Spirit or the sin of not trusting in God's mercy and avoiding it. Only God can cleanse us of our sins and guilt. Only God can create a pure heart in us and a steadfast spirit. We must take this time during Lent to call on God to have mercy on us so that we can proclaim His praise. The second reading tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. We represent Christ in our state in life to others. Therefore, we must be holy and humble. We must be full of love and mercy. This can only be done if we are reconciled with God. Jesus became the image of sin (human) but did not sin so that He could rescue us from sin. We must not be ingrates and receive God's grace with humility and not vain. Ashes on our foreheads are not a trophy to show off to others. They are a reminder that we are mere dust. They give witnesses that we are nothing but dust before God and therefore must rely on Him and His mercy.
The Gospel today reminds us that our righteous deeds are not supposed to be for self-glorification or promotion. We must not "blow a trumpet" before ourselves in order to be looked upon as if we are religious celebrities. Instead, we must pray in private, do things in private whether it is giving to the poor or helping others. In other words, we must not make a spectacle of our actions as if we need to be praised by others because we did well. Praying and doing good must be directed towards God, not self-glorification. During Lent, we fast and abstain from meat. This may be hard for some of us. However, we must not walk around with gloomy faces so that others can see and focus on our misery as if we fast and abstain in order to feel pity from others or garner attention. God will reward us for suffering in silence. Joy has to be part of this as well. We do all of these sacrifices for a greater purpose which brings joy. During Ash Wednesday Mass in 2020 at my old parish St. Dominic in the Bronx, as I was distributing ashes. A father came carrying his baby girl. As I placed the ashes on her forehead, she gave me a stern look and grabbed my hand to take it away. We all laughed. It reminded me of what Jesus said about being like a child. We must be humble and not take ourselves seriously. Our fasting and abstinence must serve to make us stronger, not miserable, bitter, or neurotic.
As mentioned previously, many in America and around the world also celebrate Valentine's day. On this day, couples give each other chocolates, roses, cards, and whatnot. Ash Wednesday is a reminder of our mortality and that we must repent. We can repent and change because God wants us to and allows us to. This is because He loves us. God is love. God is the ultimate love. Love finds its definition in God. What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine's day by repenting and accepting the Love of all Loves: Jesus Christ.
Take this time during Lent to refocus your attention on God. Do things for His honor and glory, not your own. Wear the ashes as a witness to your mortality and as a witness to your conversion to Christ. Do not wear them in order to show off as if the ashes cry out "Hey!, I am a Catholic." This is not what Ash Wednesday is about. Remember to be humble. We are just dust, not gods. Live your life to serve and love others. In today's Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, the reading tells us that God prefers service to others over ashes or rituals. It says: "Fasting like yours today will never make your voice heard on high. Is that the sort of fast that pleases me, a truly penitential day for men? Hanging your head like a reed, lying down on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call fasting, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks – to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over." This is from Isaiah 58:1-12. Let us not get caught up in ashes or rituals but put the significance of them into practice. May Jesus Christ be praised!
The first reading reminds us that we have to return to the Lord. Our fasting, the ashes we receive, our abstaining from meat much have an internal meaning, the rending of our hearts. God is merciful and gracious. He waits for us to return to Him. In this season of Lent, we must do our best to return to God. None of us are perfect. We all sin. However, sin is not the end of the story. Sin is the villain in our story that we have to defeat. We can only do this by living a holy life of prayer and reception of the Sacraments. These bring about a greater representation of Christ in the world. We begin to love God and our neighbor more and more. We start to gain the courage to face all trials. Lent is a special time in the Church. We walk with Jesus in the desert, face temptation, and walk out victorious with Christ Jesus.
The first reading reminds us of the need to ask God for mercy; to spare His people! We receive the ashes as a reminder of our mortality. Humans are just dust and to dust, they shall return. Scientifically speaking, we are carbon-based lifeforms who are made of "stardust," as the late Carl Sagan famously stated. Our accomplishments, our intelligence, our capacity to reason should not make us feel pride as if we are gods on earth; we are not! Nature is constantly reminding humanity that despite its accomplishments, a simple act of God can wipe everything away. The wildfires and losses of wildlife due to man-made activities that add to global warming remind us of how our pride will be our destruction. As Scripture says, after pride, the fall comes (Proverbs 16:18). Man thinks he can control the forces of nature and destroy the environment, but he is reminded time in and time out that God ordained nature to function in a certain way and if man interferes, he will suffer the consequences. Today, there is the fear of a pandemic that is taking hold. The Coronavirus or COVID19 is taking the world by storm. Is this divine justice, part of man-made global warming, or just nature doing its thing? We may never know. However, the timing cannot be coincidental. Nevertheless, even this disease is reminding man that he is not an end to himself. The ashes today remind us of this. This is why we must repent and believe in the Gospel.
We need mercy from God for we have sinned, as the responsorial Psalm says. God is indeed mercy. There is no sin He will not forgive unless it is the sin against the Holy Spirit or the sin of not trusting in God's mercy and avoiding it. Only God can cleanse us of our sins and guilt. Only God can create a pure heart in us and a steadfast spirit. We must take this time during Lent to call on God to have mercy on us so that we can proclaim His praise. The second reading tells us that we are ambassadors for Christ. We represent Christ in our state in life to others. Therefore, we must be holy and humble. We must be full of love and mercy. This can only be done if we are reconciled with God. Jesus became the image of sin (human) but did not sin so that He could rescue us from sin. We must not be ingrates and receive God's grace with humility and not vain. Ashes on our foreheads are not a trophy to show off to others. They are a reminder that we are mere dust. They give witnesses that we are nothing but dust before God and therefore must rely on Him and His mercy.
The Gospel today reminds us that our righteous deeds are not supposed to be for self-glorification or promotion. We must not "blow a trumpet" before ourselves in order to be looked upon as if we are religious celebrities. Instead, we must pray in private, do things in private whether it is giving to the poor or helping others. In other words, we must not make a spectacle of our actions as if we need to be praised by others because we did well. Praying and doing good must be directed towards God, not self-glorification. During Lent, we fast and abstain from meat. This may be hard for some of us. However, we must not walk around with gloomy faces so that others can see and focus on our misery as if we fast and abstain in order to feel pity from others or garner attention. God will reward us for suffering in silence. Joy has to be part of this as well. We do all of these sacrifices for a greater purpose which brings joy. During Ash Wednesday Mass in 2020 at my old parish St. Dominic in the Bronx, as I was distributing ashes. A father came carrying his baby girl. As I placed the ashes on her forehead, she gave me a stern look and grabbed my hand to take it away. We all laughed. It reminded me of what Jesus said about being like a child. We must be humble and not take ourselves seriously. Our fasting and abstinence must serve to make us stronger, not miserable, bitter, or neurotic.
As mentioned previously, many in America and around the world also celebrate Valentine's day. On this day, couples give each other chocolates, roses, cards, and whatnot. Ash Wednesday is a reminder of our mortality and that we must repent. We can repent and change because God wants us to and allows us to. This is because He loves us. God is love. God is the ultimate love. Love finds its definition in God. What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine's day by repenting and accepting the Love of all Loves: Jesus Christ.
Take this time during Lent to refocus your attention on God. Do things for His honor and glory, not your own. Wear the ashes as a witness to your mortality and as a witness to your conversion to Christ. Do not wear them in order to show off as if the ashes cry out "Hey!, I am a Catholic." This is not what Ash Wednesday is about. Remember to be humble. We are just dust, not gods. Live your life to serve and love others. In today's Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, the reading tells us that God prefers service to others over ashes or rituals. It says: "Fasting like yours today will never make your voice heard on high. Is that the sort of fast that pleases me, a truly penitential day for men? Hanging your head like a reed, lying down on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call fasting, a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks – to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over." This is from Isaiah 58:1-12. Let us not get caught up in ashes or rituals but put the significance of them into practice. May Jesus Christ be praised!
