marker of change

Last year was the first time I ever attended an Ash Wednesday mass, and since I did enjoy it I went again this year. Mass last year spoke to some common misconceptions and brought people to a place where they would think about spending Lent focused on prayer and community. As one would hope and expect, the beginning of Lent for 2006 had a completely different focus.

Lent itself is a call to faith, and so last night the priest who presided over the mass focused on faith and our need to continually repent. No, not repent as in confess your sins to God, repent as in repentance, conversion, change. When the ashes are placed on your forehead, the person doing so reminds you to "Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel." This simple statement wraps up a wealth of knowledge -- we are reminded that we are people of faith, who by acknowledging our need for Christ's salvation should continually strive to change our ways in an effort to walk the path that Christ laid down for us. Turn away from sin, repent of your ways, convert your life, change the way you think...

While last night I was still uncertain whether ashes were available to a non-Catholic, I felt a need to be a part of it. I prayed my own prayer leading up to the blessing of the ashes, I took stock of my spiritual journey, and I made up my mind to receive ashes. I didn't do this as some outward expression of solidarity with Catholicism, nor did I do it out of some need for tradition and ceremony in my life. I received ashes as an outward, physical expression of my spiritual decision; I received a marker of change. The ashes upon my forehead were the seal on a promise made between myself and God - this year things would be different, starting with Lent I am going to make changes in my spiritual life that I have been putting off.

As it turns out, at least one site I found seems to indicate that there are no requirements for receiving ashes. It is considered sacramental, but not a Holy Day of Obligation, so it is a sacramental that can be offered to non-Catholics and non-Christians. While not something that I consider critical to the experience I went through, it is nice to know that I can "legally" partake in the ceremony. After all, it was something inspiring for me and a worthwhile experience I would recommend to anyone who is open to adding a little more spiritual ritual to their lives.