Today we begin our 40 days of praying, quietly reflecting, alms giving and acts of self denial (sacrifices) so that we might follow more closely the pattern Jesus gave us, for he "emptied himself," took on our human nature, and gave totally of himself, even to his death on the cross, so that we might rise to the new life, the new and eternal life which God from all eternity has destined for us. Just as we periodically get a haircut, cut the grass or clean out the accumulated clutter in closets, attics, basements garages, offices, dens, kitchens and bedrooms, we make a concentrated six-weeks effort to trim and unclutter our souls, our lives, our thinking, so that we can more fully participate in the resurrection of Easter Sunday. There should be some pushing, some effort, some straining, as any of the above tasks require, but Jesus reminds us that we should not look gloomy while doing them. (cf. Mt 6: 16-18). Yes, ashes are a dark, stark reminder of who we are and what we are about to do for Lent, but we do not wear then on our lips. Our smiles, our words, can be and should be cheery, for our hearts know that these days bring us closer to Jesus, whose longing to be with us far exceeds our longing to be with him. Go Lent!
Bro. Rene
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