Ashes of Forgiveness

 

Ash Wednesday

~~~ Joel 2:12-18 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 ~~~

 

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

 

Saint Paul says we are ambassadors for Christ.

What does that mean especially as we begin another Lenten journey?

Every year we pray in psalm 51

for a clean and contrite heart...

a renewed spirit...

a restoration of salvation joy...

and lastly a willing spirit.

 

You may believe you have a willing spirit until the 'hammer hits the nail'

until something happens to you that causes you to stop.

Until you have personally experienced a situation where

you must admit whether or not you really can have a willing spirit.

 

When someone does something wrong against you,

it is challenging to be an ambassador for Christ.

You want retribution.

You want the wrong done to be fixed.

You often do not want to forgive the person who wronged you.

If you do not know the person it is not any easier to forgive them.

 

We are signed with ashes today as a reminder of God's mercy.

The ashes upon our forehead also serve as a reminder to ourselves

that if we are to be ambassadors of Christ we must

 emulate his same mercy and forgiveness.

 

 

If I am to be an ambassador for Christ then I must strive to model him.

This is often not an easy task.

In our frustration we sometime cry out to God,

'this is too hard'

 

Every day of Lent is another opportunity to live the gospel message

of forgiveness and repentance.

We have forty days to practice forgiveness and repentance.

Current research finds it takes at least 21 consecutive days to create a habit.

The church has given us 40 days, plenty enough time to solidify the habit of forgiveness.

 

Take baby steps, begin with the small things...the minor irritations.

Begin forgiving people you do not even know.

Forgive those closest to you; this could be the most difficult.

 

Make yourself a calendar reminder to forgive at least one person each day.

Forgive without judging...

forgive without making excuses for either yourself or the other person.

 

Above all remember that you can only change yourself.

In order to create a new habit you must be aware of what you are doing.

Creating a new habit in this case is connected to our prayer

for a clean heart.

 

Habits are things we gradually do without thinking about them.

I know I have plenty habits that I should stop.

Habits that are not indicative of my being an ambassador for Christ.

 

During this Lent I invite you to create the habit of forgiveness in your life.

When you have the impulse to lash out pause for a moment;

forgive that person instead.

Be conscious of this decision.

By the time we arrive to Good Friday our heart will

be in a better state of openness to God's forgiveness of our offenses.

 

Sustain in me a willing spirit, Lord.

A spirit of forgiveness creating in me a clean heart.