Category Archives: Lent

Dust and Ashes

ashes

Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” —Genesis 18:27

Even Abraham knew he was but dust and ashes in the sight of the Lord. So on this Ash Wednesday, we acknowledge to ourselves, to God and to one another that we, too, are but dust and ashes. It is in essence an understanding that we are nothing in and of ourselves. We are only something because of our God. We are only precious because Christ came to suffer and die and become nothing for us on the cross. We are only alive today because the risen Christ lives in us. Everything we have and are we owe to him eternally. So we put a cross of ash on our foreheads today, but we know we will one day wear a crown of glory on our heads in heaven with Jesus.

Follow Close

follow close

We say in Lent that we follow in the footsteps of Jesus on his way to the cross. But what does that mean exactly? In a sermon I heard a few weeks ago, the preacher talked about how disciples in Jesus’ day walked so close behind their masters that dust from their masters’ footsteps fell onto them. That’s how close we should follow Jesus this Lent. We should let his words, his life, his ways fall on us and become a part of us and who we are.

What is more, many disciples in the time of Jesus were spokespeople for their masters. They knew what he would say. They knew what he would do. They knew how he would respond. We who have read the gospels and know the trajectory of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection can speak with certainty that Jesus would say, “I love you.” We know that he would do the job of a servant to show his care. We know that he would respond with mercy to every confession of sin.

Our lives should be in lockstep with our Savior. Our walk should always mirror his. As St. Paul tells us, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to our imitation of Christ, it is the sincerest form of faith. Be a faithful follower of Christ today.

Giving Up

no chocolate

“So what are you giving up this Lent?” Has anyone asked you that in this season? For many, the answer is simple. “Yes, chocolates, TV, using your phone too much,” etc. But for others the answer is a little more complicated and personal: an addiction, a truly sinful habit, a bias or prejudice. Lent allows for it all. Whatever you may be giving up this Lent, do it with all your heart. This is an opportunity to really get to the bottom of what is really holding us back from a true and honest, full and close relationship with God. The Bible warns us not to give up on giving up:

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:3

We turn to Christ for guidance when we feel ourselves wanting to give up on giving up those things that distract us from God. Jesus never gave up on the way to the cross. He never turned back. He kept going even in the face of ridicule and pain and disgrace. He gave completely of himself so that we could completely experience the love of God for us in his forgiveness and everlasting salvation.

We may not be able to see it now, but the goal of heaven is coming. Doing the good that God wants us to do in response to his love for us thus becomes a part of who we are when we know what awaits in the end. As St. Paul tells us,

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Turn to Him

turn to God

For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. Ezekiel 18:32

The word repent means “to turn.” On this Ash Wednesday, we turn to God in repentance for our sins as we begin the 40-day season of Lent leading to Good Friday and Easter. As we read in this verse from Ezekiel, when we turn to God, we live. Compare Ezekiel’s words to those of St. Paul: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). Sin means death, but Jesus means life. Turn your head, turn your heart, turn your life to Christ this day and live through him.