Ashes To Ashes

"Remember, oh man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return."

Thanks, Ash Wednesday, for reminding me of my own mistaken self-importance.

Seriously, though, this is one of my favorite times of the year (and not just liturgically speaking).  This is the time when we receive a very solid reminder of whence we came and what we are seeking.  And let's face it; all of us occasionally need to be taken down a peg to restore our faith and trust in God.  After all, what is the point of receiving the Sacraments or having an active prayer life if we can already do it all on our own?  There are so many insidious little heretical attitudes out there that insist that if we just work hard enough, stay positive enough, act nice enough, we can earn our own salvation.

Well, guess what?  We can't.  That's why we need salvation in the first place.

Kind of implies that somebody else needs to do the saving.

I'm pretty sure we all do this; it's not just me, right?  I often get so caught up in the juggling act that I forget I'm not the choreographer.  I get overwhelmed by the myriad of activities that sometimes making it to a daily Mass seems like "just one more thing to do."  I spend so many of my prayer times surrounded by children who need to be taught how and why to pray that I forget to really communicate with God.  Thankfully, I'm also pretty sure we earn at least some grace simply by making a little effort- otherwise I am missing out on half the homilies and readings for nothing.

But seriously, as Catholics, we need the occasional nudge to remind us that we have the Sacraments for a reason.  If, for instance, once we were Baptized, we were truly expected never to sin again, we wouldn't have Confession, now would we?  No, we still have that pesky free will, allowing us to sin basically whenever we feel like it.  Even when we are trying to do Good Things, there is still a temptation to do them on our own, forcing God to take the back seat, or even a separate bus when we're especially stubborn.  

That's why, this Lent, I encourage you not to simply give up your coffee or chocolate (let's be honest: sometimes the only "benefit" we get from that is you being grumpier than usual in the morning).  This time, really search yourself and decide if there is something sincerely in the way of you having a relationship with God.  And it could be that there isn't any major addiction or sin that's damaging you!  Maybe, instead of giving something up, make a commitment to focus MORE of your time and energy building up your relationship with God in positive ways.  And before you protest, let's take a moment to remember all the saints who insist that spending more time with God doesn't prevent them from getting other things done; in fact, it often allows us to act more effectively in the rest of our daily lives.  Check out daily mass times in your area; look for a 24/7 adoration chapel and sign up as an adorer, dust off that Bible and actually read it once in a while- you could even commit to memorizing a few verses over the next few weeks!  These resolutions don't have to be huge (in fact, it's usually much easier to stick to if they're not), but when we take a single step in the right direction, God pulls us along even further.