Ash Wednesday Devotion

A Little Background

Lent is the religious season beginning on Ash Wednesday, lasting 40 days, excluding Sundays, and ending on Easter Sunday. The word Lent originates from the Old English lencten, meaning springtime. In early days, it was a 36-day period, but during the reign of Charlemagne, around A.D. 800, four days were added making it 40 days to symbolize Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness.

Christians worldwide observe Lent by fasting, giving alms, abstaining from amusements, or performing penance. The period was intended as a time of spiritual preparation for Easter in remembrance of the suffering, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.*

The first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. It is observed by Roman Catholic churches, as well as churches in the Anglican Communion and some Protestant churches. Ashes from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned and placed on the forehead of worshipers in the mark of a cross. Since Biblical times, sprinkling oneself with ashes has been a sign of sorrow for sin.**

Bring Peace

Do you give up something for Lent? I remember as kids, we would come up with ideas such as giving up spinach or lima beans for Lent. Not much of a sacrifice! Many people give up chocolate or desserts for Lent. I've come to believe this is more of a getting-ready-for-bathing-suit-season ritual than a means of spiritual enrichment. Look at me. I have so much willpower. I've given up chocolate for Lent (and I'm going to fit into my new bathing suit by Memorial Day). It reminds me of the Pharisee who prayed aloud in the Temple, "I fast two days a week and I give you one tenth of all my income." (Luke 18:12).

Several years back a friend told how she'd given up gossiping for Lent. Now there's a challenge, and I suspect a much better exercise in one's spiritual development than giving up chocolate. Another friend gave up hating a co-worker that particularly annoyed her. She learned lessons in forgiveness, tolerance and judgment. Last year my co-teacher decided she would look for ways to encourage people during Lent. She noticed a young mother who always seemed rushed and hassled. Imagine that mother's surprise when my friend presented her with a small gift and a pat on the back.

I recently heard an interview of Maya Angelou on the Tavis Smiley program on PBS. I was particularly struck by the following exchange:

Travis Smiley: ... what's your sense of what we are missing where the notion of peace is concerned?

Maya Angelou: ... when I say peace, I don't just mean the absence of war. I mean real peace, a sense of security, a comfort of courtesies. I mean kind words spoken to strangers. That to me is peace. When we take for granted road rage, then we have no peace. When you get into your car in the morning and start off and know that any nit whose patience may have been tried too much might pull out an illegal or legal gun and shoot you if you go too fast or too slowly, if you turn too fast against the light, that to me is a condition where peace does not exist.

I know that the Judeo Christian Bible encourages us to be peacemakers. I agree with that. I believe, however, that what we should be is peacebringers. We have to bring it with us, bring it in our hearts, bring it in our composure, bring it in our way we enter a workplace, when we enter our homes, when we talk to the children, when we talk to our beloveds. Bring it. Don't wait until you get there to make it.***

I love the idea of being peacebringers. There was an act of violence in my section of town this winter. Since then, citizens have formed a neighborhood association which has met with law enforcement as well as elected city and state officials. The sheriff and police officers told us the best way to be safe in our homes is to know and look out for our neighbors. (The sheriff also suggested we get involved in mentoring programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters to save one child at a time). We need to bring peace back into our neighborhoods by being peacebringers to our neighbors. Many adults remember the good old days when we all knew our neighbors, but now we tend to cocoon ourselves in our homes.

I challenge anyone reading this to reach out to a neighbor during this Lenten Season. Stop and talk to the fellow who walks his dog past your house every day. Compliment a neighbor on her door decoration. Take a plate of cookies to the new folks down the block. Bring peace to your little section of the world. I carry a quote from Gandhi in my purse: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." If you want peace, bring peace. (Bring chocolate too. It never hurts!)

Anita Gardner Farrell

*Bernard Ramm, "Lent," World Book Encyclopedia, 1984, Vol. 12, pg. 175.
**Frances L. Filas, "Ash Wednesday," World Book Encyclopedia, 1984, Vol 1, pg. 732.
***From the Tavis Smiley show aired on PBS, November 18, 2005