Father John Cusick, ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1970, is the Director of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese. He is responsible for the Church’s outreach to women and men in their twenties and thirties, married and single. The Young Adult Ministry Office and his residence are at Old St. Patrick’s Church in downtown Chicago.
Get your ashes on your forehead as soon as you can today. And, as you do, listen carefully to what will be said: "Remember! You are dust and to dust you shall return."
Let those ashes in the form of the cross of Jesus Christ be a reminder all day that you are not such a big deal. Dust. Christ is the big deal.
Try to get your ashes early in the day, if at all possible. In that way you will be wearing your faith on your forehead for all to see. Maybe someone will say, "Why do you Catholics get ashes? Some kind of superstition? Some kind of ritual you have been doing mechanically since you were a kid?"
Try this: "I wear these ashes in the form of the cross of Christ. It is my faith. They are a sign of a significant time of the year, Lent, when I am choosing to get my act together a little bit more, and to do something more that will help build a better world."
Throughout our religious history Lent has 3 components: prayer, fasting (sacrifice) and good works.
When the ashes wear off there will be nothing for anyone to see but you. We want to be proud of what people see. Beyond the clothes, the contemporary fashion, the hair style, etc. by seeing you (and me, too) we are hoping they may get a glimpse of life as God has intended it to be lived.
So, during Lent, let us use those 3 time-honored elements of the spiritual life - prayer, fasting, good works - help us be a bit more alive and have a lifestyle just a bit more in line with the Lord Jesus, whose cross hangs on our forehead this Ash Wednesday.
Why not begin to develop a game plan for this Lent? How about focusing on one thing a day for 40 days? Rotate them: a day to pray a bit more, then to fast, and another day to add an action to your day and your spiritual life.
I will be throwing a few ideas your way during Lent that all of you might wish to use in order to make Lent a big deal.
Here are the first three:
1. Prayer is best described as practicing the presence of God. Tomorrow, Thursday, even for a minute or two, how can you practice the presence of God? (Hint - try http://www.sacredspace.ie/).
2. Friday: how about fasting from food at lunch (or at least a serious cutback in what you eat).
3. Saturday/Sunday: Time for some action. How about a few phone calls and re-connect with people whom you have not heard from for a long time or (more gutsy) you have fallen out of relationship. No email. Make the calls!
More very soon.
But for now, Ash Wednesday, let's make Lent a big deal and for no one but ourselves and our Lord.
-Fr. John Cusick
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