Ash Wednesday
JL 2:12-18; 2 COR 5:20—6:2; MT 6:1-6, 16-18
Welcome to the Lenten Journey. For the next 40 days, we will be retracing Jesus’ journey in the wilderness as we enter the wilderness of our own lives.
Growing up Catholic, I always heard a lot about the requirement and obligation of Lent. And while these certainly have their place, I think more now about the opportunity of Lent.
Lent is a time to pull back from our day-to-day lives and reassess and reexamine things. Many of the great spiritual teachers spoke of Lent as a time to examine if we had missed something essential because we had grown patterned in our living. Much in our culture encourages a form of sleepwalking through our lives.
We might find ourselves more focused on pleasure over happiness and realize we have lost sight of that which truly satisfies our soul.
We might have confused wants and needs and find our lives choked by many things, pursuits and accomplishments but not what we really need to live.
We may also have grown numb. Especially in this past year when so much has come our way, maybe we just tuned out and shut down to some degree.
The prophet Joel invites us today to return to God with our whole hearts. This wholehearted living was a hallmark of the early Christian church. There was a vibrancy to the community that people could feel. Even in the midst of pain and suffering in the world, the early Christians were alive.
Lent is a time to come alive again. It is a time to search honestly for the true sources of our personal and collective strength and to release the illusions that often cloud our lives. And it is never a journey meant to be done alone. While we all travel it individually, we do so as a community of believers.
Matthew reminds us today that what we treasure is where our heart will also be. This Lent, may we discover or rediscover the treasure of great value and let our hearts align with it.
Let the journey begin.
Note: Throughout our 40 days, we will have some occasional guest bloggers who offer us reflections and perspectives. I am so grateful to have a diversity of voices this year who will be offering their words alongside mine.
2 Comments
Sharon Heininger
Your words are timely and helpful as I walk the spiritual journey of Lent. As I reflect on Lent I realize for me it is not removing but adding more soulfulness to my life. Thanks for your Lenten inspiration.
Mike Boucher Author
thanks for writing, Sharon, and glad you are with us on the journey. I love the idea of “adding soulfulness” and could imagine Jesus saying this in response to the Pharisees asking, “How come your disciples don’t fast like everyone else?” And Jesus says, “We’re adding soulfulness instead!”
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