Sign of the cross in ashes

Sign of the cross in ashes...shortly you will have the sign of the cross in ashes on your brow

·        Vertical beam symbol of God and Us and our direct relationship...horizontal beam Christ’s all embracing love

Turn away from Sin and follow the light of Christ

·        Not just a reminder of our fragile and corruptible life on earth, but of our humility...uncomfortable

·        Marking us as Christians just as our soul bears the mark form Baptism that we are a child of  God

·        Not to show off...but to admit our mortality

·        To symbolize a change of heart this Lent a serious inner change to move closer to Jesus in our lives

·        To embrace the barrenness of this desert time and to empty ourselves of all that gets between ourselves and God

Today begins 40 days of Lent, period of preparation for the highest holydays of the Church...the Triduum commemorating the passion death resurrection during which we Christians

·        Prepare our hearts by prayer, fasting and giving alms to the poor. 

·        Traditionally asked to sacrifice and to do something for the poor outside our norm...out of our comfort zone to really have a change of heart

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us clearly not to sacrifice or pray nor give to the poor to be recognized or praised for doing it, to be seen, or to be rewarded, but to do these things in the quiet of an inner place because God the Father sees into our hearts, into our secrets.

Jesus tells us in today’s gospel to find that inner room, not just a real room or place (although that is also a special way to pray) but to that inner place  inside, that place we all have inside where we can really quiet ourselves and open ourselves, where we are alone with our innermost self.  That’s where we’ll find Him.

So starting with the ashes you receive today throughout the 40 days of Lent and ongoing, lets find that innermost place in our hearts, lets go there and pray for real change, that we can truly turn away from sin and follow the light of Christ in our lives.

Ash Wednesday 2009

Deacon Andy Cirmo