Mark of Faith

"You asked, Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:3-6)

Today, February 17, we arrived at Ash Wednesday, the entry point for a 40-day season of prayer, sacrifice and almsgiving in our Lenten journey towards Easter.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. (Source; Wikepidia)

Ash Wednesday is a wake-up all, as it hits us squarely between the eyes, forcing us to face mortality and sinfulness.

Remember that we are dust - loved, beloved, shaped, molded, caressed, nurtured by the Loving Father who made the moon and stars and all the creatures of this world. Remember we are dust, precious, God's precious dust.

This also reminds us of our mortality, and it confronts us with a simple question: We have only one life. How do we want to spend it?

As we begin our Lenten pilgrimage, let us not limit our spiritual renewal with Christ with prayers and abstinence. In our Lenten "journey with the Lord", let's practice works of piety and seeking out opportunities for real charity. Let us reach and offer our resources to the poor, the sick and the  underprivilaged,  a challenge to the Presidentiables and 2010 candidates for their immoral spending of billions of pesos for a worthless election media campaigns in their effort to fool and buy the people's vote without clear political platforms and solutions  to the growing hunger and poverty in our society.

In our preparation to fast, pray and share the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us  give alms generously, by which we overcome selfishness and resist the temptation of  graft and corruption and use the gifts God has given us to love Him and love others.

Remember, we are nothing but dust, and to dust shall we return: Unique and precious, we are created for eternity. 

O Jesus, you place on my forehead
the sign of your saving Cross:
“Turn from sin and be faithful to the gospel.”

How can I turn from sin
unless I turn to you?

You speak, you raise your hand,
you touch my mind and call my name,
“Turn to the Lord your God again.”

Let us see your glory in the ashes.
Take us by the hand
that we may trust the darkness.

Bring us the blessing of your forgiveness
and the gift of your light.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.