A Wednesday of Ashes

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day that many Christians set aside to reflect upon the fate we all share, death. It marks a 40 day season of repentence and abstinence that we call Lent (for more on the history and tradition of Lent see Kyle’s excellent post over at Vindicated).

From dust we come and to dust we will return. As the Christian believer recieves the mark of the cross on their forehead in ash, they pause to reflect not just upon death, but upon the fact that one day we will be called to account for the lives we have lived. At that moment, what will be concerned with? Our technorati ranking? Our coolness? Our possesions?

The one who dies with the most toys still dies.

I like to think that when that time comes I will remember the feeling of the sun on my back, the sound of a child laughing, the afternoon light as it catches the leaves that sway in the wind. I like to think that my mind would turn to moments like now when I am experiencing all those things. Today is not a perfect day for me; it is a day heavy with the weight of past decisions and concern for what the future may hold. It is a day when I hope that God will reveal a better year ahead than the year that is past and a day when I pray for the grace to trust the provision, whatever it might be.

The Christian is called to wear the mark of the Ash, not just once a day on their forehead, but everyday upon their heart. We are called to live in every present moment, however good, bad or mixed it is, with the sense of our destiny and the desire to account well for the life we will live up to that point.

This afternoon is not perfect, but it is peaceful. It is not happy, but neither is it sad. It is not easy, but neither is it really a burden. This afternoon is Ash Wednesday.

[tags] Lent, Ash Wednesday, Spirituality [/tags]