Ashes.
Sorrow. Mourning. Humility.
A celebration that something is going to die in us.
A desire to get heaven into us.
Lent.
We are awesome creations, full of dignity and value, a unity of body and soul, basking in harmony and freedom, having the power to know and love… but we are damaged. Our mind is clouded and our wills are weak. We suffer and die. We push each other away. God seems remote.
Wounded perfection.
We can’t be tinkered with, we can’t send away for new parts, duct tape and chewing gum are no help. Self medication makes things worse. We need to be saved.
In swoops Jesus wearing the rough cross for a cape, suffering and dying are his power, resurrection is his glory, he is our teacher, our guide, our God.
In the beginning heaven and earth overlapped in a harmony called Eden. Sundered by sin heaven and earth still wanted to intersect, that’s how things were meant to be. The Temple became a place of temporary overlap, a brief respite in a sin weary world until the true connection would arrive. And there is Christ, the fullness of that much desired intersection. Christ, the permanent and true intersection of heaven and earth, calls us to the overlap to be filled with heaven, to overflow with Christ. But there’s still…
Sin.
God doesn’t want us to be foul sinners wearing pretty Jesus costumes. He doesn’t want tarted up turds. He wants little Christs. He offers us all the gifts we need…
Love. Grace. Holy Spirit. Freedom. Sacraments. Church. Love.
The gifts have been freely given…
Respond.
Seek purity, holiness, righteousness, harmony, justice, knowledge, morality…
Eternity with God.
God isn’t some nice old guy with a long beard or a raging Zeus with thunder bolts in hand. But God is God, due all respect and honor and love and yes… fear. Dare we waltz into heaven hanging onto our sins yet hiding in our Jesus costume?
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Christs parable reminds us we are meant to come appropriately prepared, that we are to pursue virtues, seek to die to our vices, to allow the Holy Spirit to show in our lives. Yes, yes of course, no matter how holy we may become the effects of sin will always be gnawing at us in this life. No of course we don’t earn heaven. But we are called to a moral life.
“The moral life requires grace.”
The moral life begins with loving God so it begins with a relationship. A moral life fosters relationships, preserves them even. Love is the foundation of a moral life but we need rules and laws to show us HOW love can be done in this world. Sure, love is enough in heaven but in this life we NEED moral guidance. Love without moral direction is sentimental and at the mercy of feelings. Love involves sacrifice… facing tough moral choices.
This is what Lent is all about.
Easter is coming: Christ resurrected, the intersection of heaven and earth, the place of overlap. We need to be prepared! We need to seek a change of direction and not just “give up chocolate.” Life is not a slow deterioration but a Christ guided development. We don’t want to wait to start this development, we want to get started now.
Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Ash Wednesday reminds us our time is limited, it reminds us we are completely dependent on God and our moment is now. Lent then is a gift, a chance to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, a chance to allow heaven to blossom in our lives.
May our whole life be a celebration of Lent lived in the glory of Easter!