Shocking the world

 

There was a fair queue after Mass this morning—people of roughly my own vintage and capacity—each holding small white envelopes to collect a modest supply of moist ashes. I found myself chatting with one of the ladies about the state of the world and the state of the faith. We agreed that it is all in the hands of the good Lord. Yet the good Lord has only people like us to go out into the world and quite literally proclaim the Good News.

I have always found the imposition of ashes a slightly challenging practice on Ash Wednesday. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 6) warns us against parading our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in front others. And yet, in today’s world, going about one’s work and business with an unmistakable daub of black on the forehead is undeniably a statement and a possibly courageous one at that. It can be interpreted in many ways:

• “Look how holy and devout I am.”

• “Everyone else is doing it and I’m not being left out.”

• “The world is going to hell and I’m proud to stand up for my beliefs.”

• “I am a Catholic.” (Though other Christians use ashes too, it remains almost exclusively a Roman Catholic practice in Ireland.)

• “I’m serious this time about giving up drink—or whatever it is.”

• “I’m different, so there.”

• “I am dust and to dust I shall return.” (An atheist could assent to that much.)

• “I am a sinner, and these ashes remind me that I have work to do.”

I’ll go with the last one.

For any fuss we might make about ashes, we should remember that those of us able to participate fully in the Eucharist today receive an infinite gift in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Our purpose in receiving Him is nothing less than to be personally and utterly transformed into living bread for a hungry, broken, and sick world.

Now that would be a shocking and revealing sign for the world.