Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent mean different things to different people. For some, today is a day to be marked with ashes in the form of a Cross as a public form of penance and a witness to the beginning of a penitential season. For others, today is a day to begin forty consecutive days of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, which the gospel tells us should be done in secret even if our curiosity compels us to ask one another, “What are you doing, or giving up, for Lent.” For still others, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a season of tomato soup, and grilled cheese sandwiches, and tuna casseroles on days of fasting and abstinence.

We all have our memories of what it means to begin the season of Lent. For me, one of the memorable elements of our beginning the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday each year is the message of the prophet Joel who calls us to rend our hearts, not our garments.

To rend our hearts and not our garments means two things. First, it means that what happens in our hearts during the season of Lent is more important than any external discipline. The season of Lent will be a success for us, not primarily because we accomplish all we set out to do during this holy season, but the season of Lent will be a success if we rend our hearts or open our hearts to all that God would want to do for us this Lent. In other words, Lent is a time for us to look forward not only to the accomplishment of our resolutions to pray, fast, and give alms, but Lent is also a time for us to rend our hearts and open our hearts to allow God to make us holier, healthier, and more generous people.

To rend our hearts and not our garments also means to open our hearts to share the merciful love of God with others in the same way Jesus allowed His heart to be pierced as a sign of His great love and the mercy He wishes to share with us. It is important that each one of us go to God to be forgiven and to experience His love and mercy, especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation, but it is also important for us to rend or open our hearts to share with others the love we have first received from God in our practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Our participation in the Operation Rice Bowl program is just one example of how through prayer and sacrifice we can rend or open our hearts to share the love of God with others by practicing both spiritual and corporal works of mercy this Lent.

St. Paul tells us today, “now is a very acceptable time; now is the day of salvation.” In this spirit, let us put on our ashes, let us begin our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, let us eat our tomato soup, grilled cheese, and tuna casseroles. Most importantly, let us rend our hearts, not our garments. Let us allow God to enter our hearts to make them holy, healthy, and generous, and let us let the love of God flow forth from us in the works of mercy that unite us in solidarity with all, and especially with those who are in need.

Thomas P. Ferguson
March 1, 2006