Luke 18:9-149 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Today is Ash Wednesday. It represents the beginning of Lent, which is the Forty Days before Easter (Excluding Sundays). Even though there is no mention of Ash Wednesday or even of Lent in the Bible, the early church in about the 7th century looked back to the time of the Prophets who urged a time of mourning about our sinful nature. The Psalmists lament in Psalm 51 how messed up life can become and how self centered we can be. The early church used 40 days as a reminder of the time Jesus fasted in the desert to make himself whole for the task that was before him and depending on God to give him strength.
Early penitents were sprinkled with ashes, wore sackcloth, and required to remain apart from the rest of the community until they were reconciled with God on Maundy Thursday. The most obvious mark of celebrating Ash Wednesday is the blessing and application of ashes to the foreheads of those who participate as a sign of penance. Traditionally, this is accompanied by “Remember you are dust and will return to dust," but today “Turn from sin and live the gospel” or something similar is often used.
Charlie Brown in the PEANUTS series tells us that the wages of sin is “Aaaughh,” and he is correct. We are sinful creatures in need of redemption and the failure to do brings debilitating consequences to our spiritual and sometimes literal life. Prayer, fasting and abstinence has a cleansing effect and can bring us closer to God. Ash Wednesday and Lent is the great opportunity to deliberately sacrifice something of value to us; a bad habit, something we overindulge and the like to be like Jesus for 40 days to make our lives more whole. To be aware of our shortcomings and ask and receive forgiveness; become closer to God in Christ and live a new life.
One of the things I do when life is closing in on me and I know I am not doing what God would have me do is to pick a quite time and look in the mirror. This is not vanity but a raw self introspection and if I don’t like who is looking back at me, I know it is past time for me to get real about my life and situation and give up some things and in the words of Alcoholics Anonymous- “Let Go and Let God.” This begins, yet again, on Ash Wednesday. Turn from sin and live gospel!
Don Kelley
