This past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, began the season of Lent for many Christians. Forty days plus Sundays, Lent is preparation for the Holy days of Good Friday and Easter, remembering the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. These days are central to Christians. Often characterized by giving something up like chocolate or your favourite beverage, Lent has a deeper and potentially more appealing meaning and purpose of reconnecting us to ourselves, one another, the earth and ultimately to God. From receiving a cross of ashes, to practises of prayer/meditation, fasting/simplicity, support/advocacy for others, Lent offers a rich practise of spiritual and life renewal, maybe not just for Christians.
Preparing for Ash Wednesday involves burning palm branches from the past year’s Palm/Passion Sunday. The story of that day tells of Jesus entering Jerusalem surrounded by a crowd of people waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” but only days later, he was killed. The ashes of the burned palms are used to mark the sign of the cross on the foreheads of worshippers with the words, “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return.” The ashes and words are a stark and humbling reminder of our humanity and mortality, and invite us to face our individual and collective brokenness and violence, seeking forgiveness and hope in God’s healing love in Jesus.
I remember very well the Ash Wednesday when our first son was just an infant in our arms. My spouse and I went forward with him to receive the ashes. To our shock the pastor reached out and marked his tiny forehead with the same cross of ashes, saying the same words, “remember you are dust, and to dust you will return.” We recoiled at connecting our young child’s life with mortality and brokenness. And yet, as we retuned and sat looking at his tiny face marked with that cross, we were reminded of his and our connection to the dust of the earth and all creation, to humanity in all its beauty and brokenness, and to God the creator, healer, and spirit of all of it.
The traditional practices in Lent of prayer, fasting and giving to those in need, were identified by Jesus and express these connections. The practises are part of most spiritual traditions, offering gifts of wisdom, justice, and compassion. Prayer takes many different forms – spoken, silence, meditation, walking, song, individually and in community. At its essence, prayer is being open to the reality of God/the sacred and how this connection changes us. Fasting frees us for a time from the drive to feed our basic human hunger and the competition and consumption it creates, and instead experience the interdependence of all creation. Giving of ourselves and out of what we have, especially for those in need, and receiving from the generosity of others, acknowledges everything is a gift, and the wellbeing of all is a collective responsibility. In one sense, each practise creates gracious space: in time, in our bodies, in community with others, all with God as source and hope.
The root meaning of the word “Lent,” is “spring.” Even in Victoria spring is not yet here. But maybe Lent and its practises can offer the new growth and life we all hope for. Blessed and Holy Lent.
Rev. Lyle McKenzie is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Cross of Victoria and part-time chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria.
You can read more articles from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking HERE
*This article was published in the print edition of the Times Colonist on Saturday, February 13
