Ashes to Ashes

Today is Ash Wednesday. I love Ash Wednesday. I love the cleansing principle of Lent and the feeling of a fresh start that follows it.

According to Google (not who I usually turn to for religious guidance, but I was curious), the "purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, doing penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial." Not bad, Google. That's better than I would have done if asked the purpose of Lent.

I'm still undecided on what I'm giving up this year. But I know what I'm adding. I intend to pray the Rosary daily. I love the Rosary. I love the beads. I love the prayers. But I don't do it as often as I should. So a Lenten Rosary marathon it is.

And I will be reading the book Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly. A friend recommended it years ago. I didn't read it. I saw it on a cousin's coffee table about a year later, and I ordered it. I even read the prologue and first chapter. I don't remember why I didn't finish it. But I didn't. I remember liking it, but I didn't stick with it. I do that a lot.

Today I restarted it, and once again, the prologue blew me away. I remember reading it out loud to my mother and father the first time around. We were in the car. I do not remember where we were headed, but I remember reading this prologue multiple times. And then just sitting. Reflecting. Today, I did that again.

It is the story of a young boy who saves the world from a deadly flu that has killed thousands and is spreading across the globe. He saves the world with his blood, which contains the antibody. His parents had to make the decision to give his blood to save the world. His blood. Their only son's blood. All of it. And they did it.

Kelly's version is much more eloquent. I promise. But it's too long to post his words here. The last paragraph, however, you get:

*It's told in 2nd person (which I usually do not enjoy but which makes all of the difference here).

"The following week, they hold a ceremony to honor your son for his phenomenal contribution to humanity...but some people sleep through it, others don't even bother to come because they have better things to do. and some people come with a pretentious smile and pretend to care, while others sit around and say, 'This is boring!' Wouldn't you want to stand up and say, 'Excuse me! I'm not sure if you are aware of it or not, but the amazing life you have, my son died so that you could have that life. My son died so that you could live. He died for you. Does it mean nothing to you?'

Perhaps that is what God wants to say."

Kelly could have dropped the mic there. But he didn't. He followed that with a whole book. A book that I just know is going to make this Lent more purposeful for me.

That's all I have for now. I still don't know what I'm giving up, but I'm looking forward to a Lenten season of reading and Rosaries. Maybe that's how the rest of my year will be spent. Wouldn't that be something?