The ashen cross has been wiped off of my forehead (so as not to stain my pillowcase, and also so that I don't have a big ashen smear to look at on my new driver's license photo (which I am renewing later today).
The ashes are gone, but the words of the priest are still on my mind. "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." That tells me that I am created by God, with a body that will someday fail (okay, yeah…ALREADY failing. 😝), but also a spirit that will go to be with God, and with all the saints and angels in heaven. And, beyond that, after Christ's Second Coming, I will have a new, perfectly made, and eternal glorified body. That's a hard concept to wrap our limited intellect around, but that's okay. God blesses us with the gift of faith, so that our trust can extend WAY beyond what our tiny brains can comprehend. Is your faith lacking? Ask God to increase your faith. He is SERIOUSLY just waiting for you to ask, and for you to draw near enough to receive. He has SO VERY MUCH to give!
As if there weren't enough reminders in the Ash Wednesday Mass for my husband and I, we got the news yesterday that one of his aunts had died (my husband has more aunts and uncles than anyone I know, and he had over 50 cousins. That's a big family picnic right there! But the numbers have been dwindling lately, with more and more funerals to attend, and more opportunities to think about our own mortality. Based on quick research, more than 60 million people die every year. Death is going to come for all of us, so we might as well put some effort and thought into our own death. On behalf of the Catholic Church (and other rites who use employ the ashen forehead cross for your yearly, visual reminder, you are welcome.
But don't stop there. Switch up your routine a little bit this Lent. Pick up your Bible, turn to the pages of the New Testament, and start reading about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who loved us all so much that he laid down His life in order to restore ours. His life and death (and His teachings) are our path to heaven, but each of us has a role to play, and specific gifts given by the Holy Spirit. Your path won't be exactly the same as anyone else's, but God wants you, and your gifts. He has made straight the way, and you must simply follow, with courage and trust. Let this be the Lent that changes your life, enlightens your mind and fills you with peace and joy! And, if you really want to dive in deep, I suggest the "Hallow, Prayer and meditation" App. It's a free download.
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