Praised be Jesus Christ!
My brothers and sisters,
One of the most common homily topics heard on Ash Wednesday is taken from this verse in Joel: "Rend your hearts, not your garments" (2:13). As I sat watching people whom I had never seen in church before file into the pews by the hundreds--as they had at every one of our back-to-back masses that day--I was reminded precisely why.
We have an unfortunate phrase in Catholicism, "C and E Catholics", signifying those Catholics whom most see only twice a year, on Christmas and Easter. One may assume that their sense of religious obligation does not extend beyond these two major feats. However, I think it would be more accurate to say "C, E and A Catholics", the "A" standing for Ash Wednesday, there being a disproportionate number of Catholics who turn out on this day.
Why disproportionate? Well, Christmas and Easter, as stated above, are major feasts and so much a part of the culture that one need not be overly pious to drag oneself out of bed and away from that square idol in the living room to attend mass. Ash Wednesday, by comparison, is a rather minor liturgical observance; at least it is not a holy day of obligation. And yet, so many Catholics treat it as such. These same Catholics, in fact, easily skip mass every Sunday and most holy days. How do I know? Because my parish does not generally offer seven full-to-capacity masses on a given Sunday.
But then, my parish doesn't generally mark worshipers' forheads with a cross of ashes every Sunday either. And here, my brothers and sisters, I believe I have struck at the sad root of the problem. Is it probable that these Catholics, so conspicuously absent 49 weeks out of the year, truly intend to "repent and follow the Gospel"? Is it probable that they intend to maintain the penitential spirit of Lent throughout the 40 Days? Fine. Then we shall expect to see as many as attended our Ash Wednesday masses on the First Sunday of Lent, and every Sunday therafter. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath. Rend your hearts, not your garments!
My brothers and sisters, I'm afraid that so many of us have not and never intended to rend our hearts. Rather, we relish the opportunity to wear our faith on our sleeves--or rather, our foreheads--in an admittedly impressive display of our relgious identity. This is precisely the opposite of genuine repentance. Our Lord counsels in the Gospel for the day, "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites," who "neglect their appearance so that they may appear to others to be fasting." Rather, He says, "anoint your head and wash your face" (Mt 6:16, 17).
Jesus is not concerned here with our physical apperance but with our spiritual disposition. Prayer, fasting and almsgiving done in a spirit of pride are worthless in the eyes of God. Why? Because only when God Himself, and not human affirmation, is the desire of our hearts, only then can we let Him in. And only then can His love transform us into the creatures He created us to be. And brothers and sisters, this is why we wear ashes, to remind ourselves and everyone we meet that we need Him, we need His transforming love, becasue without Him, we are nothing but ashes. "Remember, man," He says to us, "you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Gen 3:19).
I don't complain that they came. Good for them. I pray that the Holy Spirit may begin to work in their hearts in amazing ways because of it. Would that every soul who attended our Ash Wednesday masses and received ashes attend mass every Sunday of the year, and every holy day too. Would that every soul rend their hearts, not their garments, and thus let the Lord of Life in.
In His peace.
Note: I know I've been gone for quite a while; I hope to blog more often--perhaps weekly--as part of my Lenten obsevance. Until then, may you rest in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
