Page 5 - Lenten Meditations 2021 electronic edition

W e e k O n e

Ash Wednesday Devotion

Going Back to Basics

Read: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“Yet even now, says the Lord. Return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts
and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for He is
gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast
love, and relents from punishing.” – Joel 2:12-13

It seems we’ve just finished tucking away the Christmas
decorations and completing our exchanges when, lo and behold!,
Lent arrives. Time surely does fly.
Growing up, Lent was a big deal. Daily Mass and Communion
meant skipping breakfast every morning before school since
receiving Communion required a 3-hour fast. (When we got to
our classrooms we were treated to donuts and milk, so it was all
good.) What to give up for Lent was a topic of conversation at
home in the days preceeding Ash Wednesday. The sacrifice had
to be a serious one-my brothers were all too willing to give up
broccoli and asparagus-but not too great. After all, Lent was 7
weeks long.

Fast forward to Ash Wednesday, 2021. Time really does fly by so
quickly. What to give up has been replaced by the more important
question: What can I do to make this Lent special? How can I
keep the cross of Christ a focal point in these days?
This Lent I want to revisit some of what I learned in my
elementary catechism. I was taught that God created human
beings so that we could know Him, love Him, and serve Him in
this world and then be happy with Him in the next. (Sister Mary
nd
Eleanor’s class, 2 grade). To that end, I will make it a point to
be more intentional in my devotional time. I will read good books
beginning with the Bible. I will devote more dedicated time for
serious prayer. Finally, I will serve God by serving others as
much as possible. I won’t say no if I can say yes, and I will be
kinder to the world God gave me to live in. I invite all my
Simpson friends-and we all are more than friends-to join together
to make Lent 2021 the most meaningful one ever.
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