Lenten Meditation #1: Ash Wednesday: Acceptance

ACCEPTANCE


The Webster's dictionary lists several meanings of the word accept, some in particular are #3, "to submit to; be resigned to/he had to accept defeat/ #4 to believe in #5 to understand as having a certain meaning #6 to respond to in the affirmative/to accept an invitation.......then #11 Law to receive with the intent to retain and adopt. Hm, interesting.

As we enter into the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday is the first of the many observances we visit. During the day of Ash Wednesday, we reflect that from ashes we are and to ashes we will return, that all of this world is temporary, but, dependence on our Lord is everlasting. Acceptance of this theology is rather difficult at best when so much of our world is mystical on its own....the very computer-age we live in, modern technology is now called Advanced technology, medical breakthroughs, advanced medicine. We are constantly accepting new age concepts far reaching anything imagined 20 years ago, but here we are. So why is accepting our Lord, His kingdom right here in our midst difficult.

Let's visit these definitions: submitting to, being resigned to something. It will take a leap of faith to submit and resign our power to a power unseen. It is through prayer and a deep desire to know God that we can do this. As young Catholics, we are taught that we are made to know, love, and serve God. The very first step is to know Him! To learn all we can about God through the Bible, other's experiences, prayer and meditation will bring us closer to our Lord.

To believe in Our Heavenly Father is the goal, to understand that He loves us and cares for us will lead us to our response in accepting His invitation to follow Him, to adopt His way of life. Then and only then can we begin to Love Him and desire to serve Him. At this point we can be resigned to and accept the ashes of this world.

Lord, help us to learn more about you, bring us to a better understanding of you. Help us to desire to accept your way and lead others to you as well. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you together with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, AMEN.