This has been a rich, deeply spiritual, personally challenging Ash Wednesday for me. It comes at a time when I am experiencing great joy in my ministries as a Permanent Deacon and follower of Christ and when I am experiencing great turmoil due to a difficult situation in my professional career. Over the course of the last two weeks I have been experiencing both stress from the situation alluded to above and great personal spiritual tugging at my heart. While everyone in these parts was immersed in Mardi Gras, and that's ok, I was looking forward with great anticipation to this day, Ash Wednesday.
Through my eyes, this has been a deeply spiritual and emotional day. Having scheduled a day off, I arose early to assist my pastor at morning Mass, which included distribution of ashes. We had over 300 present for morning Mass. I spent some time reviewing evangelization documents and took a quiet drive through the countryside until I returned for the lunch hour Mass. Again I assisted the pastor and distributed ashes; this time more than 400 were in attendance.
The afternoon I decided to take up the challenge of our Archbishop(see previous post) and am working on fasting and, of course, abstinence from meat. And for me and all my neighbors down here, to truly make this sacrificial, I avoided shrimp, oysters or catfish and opted for a plain tuna fish sandwich. And no diet coke!
And today I was prompted to share a message for my friends and family who have lost their connection to Christ and His Church: as I sat listening to John Michael Talbot's rendition of Come Back to Me, I asked them to consider coming back to Him. One of my most deepest prayers ever is that those who find themselves, like I did not that long ago, seperated from Christ, find their way back.
Tonight, I'm returning to my congregation for a third time, to assist the priest and distribute ashes.
Tomorrow will then bring a deeply personal challenge as I reconcile the spirituality and ministry that I crave and meet my professional challenges head on.
In Lent 2012, unlike any other time in my life, I will be challenged to truly reflect the love and mercy of Jesus Christ while being an icon of Christ the Servant, despite knowing that there are some who are comin against me. But I will remember: if God is for us, who can be against us and Be not afraid!
I wish for each of you reading this a blessed, fulfilling and spiritual Lent; when that leads you, and hopefully me, closer to Jesus Christ and His Church!
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