Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is not usually a festival of mirth and hilarity, but our service today was a little more solemn even than the usual, as we prayed for Dr. de Villa. Our guest preacher, Fr. Douglas Brown of the Order of the Holy Cross, gave a sermon that fit both the day and our additional observance. We remembered, reflected, prayed, and committed ourselves to a holy Lent.

For myself, the convergence of these circumstances suggested that I make my Lenten discipline a determination to spend time every day in an earnest memento mori; I suspect that some of the burdens I work with would benefit from my sizing them up in perspective to my own mortality: the things that I ought to make sure to have done, and the things no one will mind if I leave behind, obligations to my family and friends, and indifferent matters that no one cares about that much. We’ll see how that works out.

1 thought on “Ash Wednesday

  1. Just wondering, as you are so public with your personal practice, do you find that the Lenten disciplines you take on continue after Lent, or is this memento mori for this year something you will only do during Lent?

    What I’m wondering I guess, is if the Lenten discipline is about a special focus on the season, or is it a time to focus on something which will later flow into daily life?

    Easter as a renewal as a result of the discipline, or Easter as a symbol of the transcendence acheived through the practice? Or something else?

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