Wednesday March 1, 2017 was Ash Wednesday, a day where Catholics and many Christians go to church and recieve ashes on their foreheads, resembling "for dust you are and to dust you will return" (Genesis 3:19). We came into this world as dust, and we will leave the same way. Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a forty day journey that Chrisians around the world repent for their sins and prepare for Easter. The forty days represent the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, where he fasted and endured temptation of Satan (Matthew 4:1-2, Mark 1:12-13 Luke 4:1-2). During this time, we fast and sacrafice things. On Ash Wednesday and every Friday until Easter, we abstain from meat and fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the day Jesus died on the cross.
People often ask why we abstain from meat and why we give something up for Lent. The answer: If Jesus was able to go forty days without food or water, surely we can go fasting for the two days, and we can abstain from the delicious meat. Growing up, I dreaded Friday's and not being able to eat meat. I dreaded having to give something that I loved up till Easter. Forty days seemed like a long time.
Now that I'm older, I have a better understanding, something I didnt get in the past. Lent goes beyond giving something up. Lent is a season where we should focus more on the time with Christ, whether its by praying, or digging deeper into The Bible. Lent is meant to strengthen our relationship with Christ. Right when I grasped that concept, i stopped "giving something up". I shouldnt focus on thinking "I have to stay away from chocolate, soda, coffee etc". No, my focus should be Christ and what he did for us, my focus should be on repenting my sins and acknowledging that I have a Savior, and most importantly, preparing for the joyus feast of Easter.
This year, I did something different. I decided to go to mass in the morning to recieve my ashes. I went to work after and then to my class. I prepared myself for the comments, and of course I got people telling me I have something on my forehead, I even had a group of teens laugh as they passed by. I dont regret my desicion nor am I ashamed to have a black cross on my forehead, for no one should (Romans 1:16). Jesus wants us to spread the Gospel (Matthew 28:19). If someone asks whats on your forehead, thats the Lord giving you the opportunity to do so.
So, let Lent be a time of spiratual growth, a time to challenge yourself, and a time of repenting, a time of sacraficing, but most importantly, a time to grow closer to Christ. Not just during Lent, but everyday until we meet him.
