February 17: Ash Wednesday

St. Paul wrote two letters to the Christian community in Corinth. Ash Wednesday offers us a brief excerpt from his second letter (5,20-6,2). First, St. Paul reminds us that we are “ambassadors for Christ.” It is through us, through our words and actions, that God is seen by the rest of the world. That is no small matter, in fact it is a tremendous responsibility and something worth reflecting on, especially during this Lenten season.
Secondly, St. Paul points out that, for our sakes, God made Jesus, who was altogether without sin, “to be sin.” In this sense, Jesus, the altogether sinless One, willingly endured the effects of sin and evil, especially through His suffering and death on the Cross. His purpose in doing that was that “we might become the very holiness of God.” In other words, we too are called to walk the same Way that Jesus did, to be ready to offer our lives as He did. In this, more than by any other thing we might say or do, we truly become ambassadors for Christ. So, Paul begs the Corinthians (and us) that this tremendous act of God’s love, made known through his Son, be not in vain.
Lent is a perfect time for us to contemplate the meaning of Jesus’ Life, Suffering, and Death for each one of us and to reflect what changes it calls for in the way we live our discipleship now. “Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!” The time of conversion and change is always NOW.
Let us pray. O Lord our God, by your help, may we walk eagerly in the same charity with which your Son handed Himself over for our salvation. You are the author of every mercy and of all goodness; grant us, please, the grace to remain true to our Lenten calling, through Christ our Lord. Amen.