Ashes, Ashes…

Once again, we have blinked and found ourselves in the season of Lent: a time in the Christian church where we reflect on our faith for the 40 days before Easter, preparing ourselves for what the holiday means to those who believe.

For many, Lent is seen as a time of mourning, a time to be somber, because for many sects of the Christian faith, Lent marks a time of fasting, and “giving up something” in your life as a way to re-live how Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days before his crucifixion. Ash Wednesday, the day after Fat Tuesday, marks the beginning of Lent. Services usually conclude with the imposition of ashes on a person’s forehead as a sign to remember what we are told in Genesis 3:19:

“By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made.  For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”   — New Living Translation

People often loathe Lent and Ash Wednesday for this reason. Maybe because, in this fast-paced, exciting world of hedonism and instant-gratification, it is seen as a time of denial..Translation: it’s boring and it’s hard?   Maybe it’s because Lent reminds them that they are sinners, and have fallen short of the Grace of God?  Ok. Let’s be honest– No one likes to reflect on the poor choices that they’ve made, the bad things they’ve done, or people they’ve betrayed. Some feel like this is spiritual abuse, making a person to feel guilty and worthless, like they are born broken. People forget about Ash Wednesday and Lent all together because of this. Sadly, in fact, people have turned away from the Christian faith all together I think at least in part because of this very reasoning.

Honestly though, I don’t see it that way. I’ve kind of always been secretly fond of Ash Wednesday… Even more so in recent times because two years ago on Ash Wednesday, I found out that I was pregnant with my youngest munchkin, Bean.  Ash Wednesday for me has always meant a time of introspection. But, not on the bad things I’ve done. To me, Lent (and, well, the entire Christian faith really) is not about feeling guilty or ashamed or inferior or flawed, but rather just the opposite. It’s a time of reflection on JUST HOW MUCH GOD REALLY LOVES US. It is a time when I try to contemplate just how awesome it is that God became human and sacrificed himself for me…for us all. Whether you believe in Him or not, past present or future, He loves you anyway and that love and salvation is always yours. Period.

This year’s Ash Wednesday sermon, one of the readings our Pastor chose was Psalm 51:10-12, which I feel perfectly illustrates the succinct point of this religious occasion:

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…
 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”  –New International Version

Lent is the perfect time to reflect on the love God has for us, and how we best reflect that in our own lives.  How can I be a better person? How can I reflect God’s love back into the world?

So, yeah. Over the last couple of years, I’ve really come to change my mind about the season of Lent… and my faith in general. Maybe it’s because I’m older, wiser, more mature now that I am a parent? Whatever the reason, I feel like I understand what it’s really meant for now. I no longer dread it or ignore it all together.  I embrace it with open arms; just the way God embraces me –even with all of my faults and flaws and sins and misgivings. He loves me anyway. Just the way I am.

Ashes to Ashes. Dust to Dust. And everything in between…

It’s all about love.