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Prayers and Reflections
Beginning the Journey through Lent
On Ash Wednesday we begin our annual journey to Easter
with other Christians and with those who will be initiated into the
Church through Baptism at the Easter ceremonies. We begin the journey
of Lent on Ash Wednesday with the ritual of signing ourselves with
ashes. Traditionally Lent is a holy time of prayer, giving to others
and fasting. Christians are not the only ones who have periods like
this of fasting, prayer and alms-giving: well known to us is the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan, observed by many millions.
This first day of Lent calls us to look at our lives and to see if there are
areas in which our lives are out of balance. Are there areas where we go to extremes?
Lent is a time to admit where we need to change, to admit guilt where we need
to and to be realistic about doing something to reform our lives so that they
are more in tune with the Gospel.
Pause to look at your own life and note any area in which you see
your life is not in balance …
The ashes of a campfire or bushfire come from plants that were once
green and flourishing. The ashes remind us that no matter how vibrant
and vital our lives are, there comes an end. The flourishing leaves
dry up and go into a fire. The Ash Wednesday ashes remind us that we
are all mortal: Fame, popularity and power will come to an end. There
is nothing we can do to stop it. This is not a matter for sadness – our
earthly lives are but a part of our total journey … what Lent
does is remind us to keep an eye on the goal and not let our lives
get out of balance by focussing only on the “now”. As new
and more vibrant life rises from the ashes in the forests, so we too
are called to renew the true purpose of our lives in the penitential
time of Lent.
Out of Ashes by Michael Mangan
(If you have the music, play it and listen quietly)
Fire in the forest leaves us ashes,
Ashes lie smoking on the ground.
All the old and dead wood lies in ashes,
But don’t be sad, don’t let it bring you down.
For in the ashes new seeds are grown,
From the ashes new life will grow.
Leave the past in ashes,
Let the old things give way,
Start a fresh new life right here today,
In the ashes, from the ashes, out of ashes.
Now we leave our failings far behind us,
Leave them in the forest fire to burn.
All that’s left behind is cold grey ashes,
And in the ashes now to God we turn.
Pause: Think about the new life that burgeons in the wake
of the bushfires … see in your mind the new shoots rising from
the burst seeds on the forest floor. What penance could you realistically
accept to do in order to bring your life into better balance in some
area – to renew your life in some aspect.
Francis prostrate in the ashes
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A
Story about St Francis
Once Saint Francis was persuaded to go and lead a day of prayer
with Saint Clare and her Sisters. The sisters gathered expectant, eager
to hear the words of their spiritual father. Francis began by looking
up to heaven and praying silently. Then he made a circle around himself
with ashes, put the rest of the ashes he had brought on his head and
prostrated himself in prayer.
Everything was silent until Francis began to pray Psalm 51: When he
had completed the psalm Francis remained for a time bent low in prayer
before he quietly left.
Clare and the other sisters were stunned but quite emotionally affected
by what had happened. Though not a word was said, Francis had taught
them how to be before God: how to ask for forgiveness and where to
seek for the spiritual help we do need to correct the weakness and
sin in our lives.
PAUSE: Reconstruct the scene in your own mind and stay
with that for a time. Listen to what rises in your heart.
Then pray Psalm 51 with Francis:
Have mercy on me God
According to your steadfast love;
In your abundant mercy blot out my sins,
Wash me from my offences,
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my offences
And my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned,
And done what is evil in your sight,
So you are justified in your sentence
And blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in a sinful world.
You desire truth in my innermost being,
Teach me wisdom in the depths of my heart,
O purify me, then I shall be clean.
O wash me, then I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill me with joy and gladness,
Let the bones you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my guilt,
And blot out all my offences.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Put a steadfast spirit within me.
Cast me not from your presence,
Take not your spirit from me.
Give me again the joy of your salvation,
With a willing spirit uphold me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
And sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from death, God of my salvation,
And my tongue will sing out your saving help.
Open my lips and my mouth will sing your praises.
For you take no delight in sacrifice;
Were I to give a burnt offering,
You would not be pleased.
A contrite spirit you accept
A humble heart is what you desire of me.
All praise to you, Source of all Being, Eternal Word and Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without
end. Amen.
- Reflect on the psalm.
- Choose one line that touches you deeply and stay with
that.
- If you are working in a group you might like to share
that line or your reaction to the story of Francis.
- Perhaps you would write out the section of the psalm
that spoke to you and place this somewhere obvious as a reminder
to you during the weeks ahead.
Prayer
- These ashes remind us that we are mortal, subject to the strengths
and weaknesses of being human and dependent on God for what we can
achieve.
O God, I am reminded today that you alone can offer me
any permanence.
- Ashes remind us of life that was vibrant and also of death. Lent
is the lead-up to new life but presumes something will die in us.
May those things in me that need to die, do so this Lent:
pride, greed, anger, intolerance, judging others, putting
myself down and a false humility
that says the
person God has created and sustains in me is
not worthwhile.
- Lent is a time of dying and rising again. Easter makes no sense
without the journey from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday.
God, help me to recognise and own the
weaknesses and imbalances in my life
and to rise above them.
Enable me to not be discouraged by my daily failures
but to have courage, with your grace, to correct them so
that I will change,
grow as a person and
become more like Jesus.
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