Joel 2:12-18; Ps 5 BE merciful O Lord for we have sinned; 2 corinthians 5:20-6:2; Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
We celebrate the beginning of Lent with the mark of Ashes.
We shall break away from our busy schedules and busier lives to pause and seek to begin anew under the guiding hand of God's mercy.
We shall here those words as the ashes are placed on our foreheads: remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return.
These are the same words spoken at a burial at the grave site. We begin Lent with these words to remind us of our mortality, time is running out, we should not waste the opportunity we have been given,
Eventually, when we breathe our last, then our bodies shall return to dust; however, this is not the whole truth.
We are dust and dust we shall return but we do not belong to the earth. For we are more than dust, we are more than molecules and atoms. We are dust alive in the hands of God.
The ashes remind us of the fact that with out the breath of God we would just be dust but with God's mercy and love we are so much more.
No! We do not belong to the earth rather we belong to the heavens. We are destine for so much more.
Thus the church gives us this 40 day retreat of not eat, pray and love but rather FAST, PRAY, and GIVE
The keys note address that truly sets the tone for the Lenten journey can be found in MAtthew's gospel, where today's gospel leaves off. JEsus tells us the following,
"Do not store up earthly treasure. MAke it your practice to store up treasure in heaven. Remember where your treasure is there your heart will be also."
Here is the keynote address for LENT.
Repent and believe in the gospel, which simply means get your head screwed on right or get your head in the game, rather your soul in the game of life. Where your treasure is there your heart will be!
Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?
We belong to the heavens.
Lent reminds us that MAN has a right to greatness! God has a right to our greatness!
We belong to something so much more.
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