Next Wednesday is ‘Ash Wednesday’. It is a day of Fasting and Abstinence. It is a day when we have ashes marking a sign of the Cross on our forehead. These ashes say we will not settle for what we are but live in hope for what we can be. And what we want to be is more humble, more holy, more patient, more loving. These ashes mean we are mortal. In a time when we like to not face the reality of death, we announce this very clearly: We will die. They say to all who see them, “I don’t have forever. I am dust. And one day, I will be dust again.” That is the bottom line for every one of us, our common denominator. It makes the ash mark matter even more. Recently I read an article on the Internet that offers 40 ideas of suggestions for what we might do as extras for Lent. They included the following suggestions:
1) Pray for one person every day of Lent. It might be someone you know. It might be a stranger. Sacrifice something for them.
2) Pray a rosary every day for someone who has hurt you.
3) Write a letter to a different person each day, telling them what they mean to you.
4) Volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen or retirement home.
5) If you have a long car journey as a passenger spend some of it in silent prayer.
Those can act as starters for you. I am sure we can all think of many other ‘extras’ we could do during Lent so why not do some of them! There is no compulsion and you should not tell anyone what you are doing. They are to be secret between you and God.