Ash Wednesday

 


ASH WEDNESDAY 


They call her Cinderella, a name that derives from the Old French. It translates as “girl of the ashes.”  How does she become coated with ashes? It all happens in the line of duty. Among her many tasks, Cinderella has to monitor the fireplace. Prolonged exposure to the fireplace means one layer of ash followed by another layer of ash. It seems as if it will never end. 


But of course it does come to an end. Misery will give way to joy. She will eventually find herself being treated to a new beginning. It’s not necessarily something that she brings about all on her own. Rather, she receives external support through the intervention of a Fairy Godmother. The Fairy Godmother does the “heavy lifting.” What does Cinderella do? For starters, she does her part by being  industrious. Furthermore, she does her part by being open: being open to the miraculous and being open to outside assistance. And finally, she also does her part by remaining hopeful. 


Now it’s your turn. You won’t actually be coated with ashes. Nevertheless, you will receive a marking upon your forehead. You’ll be entering into a time of sorrow, a time of penance, a time of deprivation. In church circles, we call it the season of Lent. If you subtract the Sunday’s, Lent adds up to a forty day period of time. It seems as if it will last forever. And yet, it’s only a season. What happens when the season runs its course? That depends. 


It depends on whether or not you were taking notes. Did you note what was said about Cinderella’s work ethic? She was faithful to her duties, even when her heart was not in it. Did you note her spirit of openness? She was open to the miraculous, and she was open to the offer of outside help. And, we need to appreciate how she managed to remain hopeful. See if you can follow suit. Be faithful to the Lenten norms. Be open to the gift of grace. Be open to the miracle of the Resurrection. 


Following suit means treating yourself to a new beginning. Light has the capacity to overcome the darkness. That’s what the empty tomb is all about. You’ll be equipped for whatever the darkness has in store for you—if you can, first of all, face up to the ashes. Do you want to have a meaningful Easter? Then set the stage: set the stage by allowing yourself to have a MEANINGFUL season of Lent. 

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