Ash Wednesday
Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent . (It is earlier this year, as it begins 40 days before Easter, and Easter is early this year.) The priest dips his thumb into the ashes (made from last year's burned palm fronds), and marks the foreheads of the people with the sign of the cross. He repeats the phrase: "Remember that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." (Or something similar.) It is a reminder that without God, we are nothing. (See this link for more information.) As I sat in Mass this morning, pondering the whole idea of what is ahead in Lent and what that means, this thought came to me: Lent is not so much about "giving up" as it is about "giving in". What do I mean by that? It is not to be focused on what we sacrifice as much as it is to be about submitting ourselves to God in deeper ways. It is about focusing on His sacrifice at the cross, and "giving in" ...