"...And To Dust You Shall Return"

Students helped us spread the word about Ash Wednesday Mass

"Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return."- Genesis 3:19

Blessings during the beginning of this Lenten season! May the Lord strengthen you as you empty yourselves and make room for humility, charity, and faith over these next 40 days.

I wanted to share an experience I had earlier this week on campus regarding Ash Wednesday and Lent. The missionaries of Winona State had an idea that some of us had seen before on other campuses to advertise for Ash Wednesday Mass. We made big posterboard signs with sayings like "Get your Ash at Mass", "Nice Ash",  and "Ash Wednesday Today" with the various Mass times around the town written out. We went out a couple times during the day to the busiest part of campus and held the signs, wishing passerby's a happy Ash Wednesday and encouraging them to go to Mass. We were received fairly well with smiles and even laughter at our zeal and seeming humility on this solemn day. Of course, we had the occasional perplexed stare and avoiding eyes as well, but for the most part, it was quite fun and hopefully yielded some fruit, because that night at the Cathedral Mass, there were more students in attendance than I had ever seen at a single Mass in Winona (probably about 300 total!!). Praise the Lord!

New teammate Aaron spreading the word on campus about Ash Wednesday Mass

However, our second time out on campus during the day, Bridget (one of the students I'm mentoring) and I had a very interesting encounter with a male student. As Bridget and I were holding the posterboard signs and calling out to people as they passed by, a student named Richard stopped in front of us: "What's Ash Wednesday all about? It seems kind of contradictory if you ask me." We explained that Ash Wednesday signifies the beginning of Lent and is a day of remembering our mortal nature and sinfulness that we must own up to and cast unto God for our redemption, which is marked by the ashes on our forehead. Richard then went on to assure that it was not humility that we were portraying, but pride. This perplexed Bridget and I at first, because neither of us had ever heard this said before about this one day of the year when Catholics are marked with black crosses on their foreheads. What followed was an hour long conversation about biblical context, interpretation of scripture, the nature of our salvation, and the importance of humility for that salvation. There were a few times when I was unsure of what to say to Richard, but thankfully the Holy Spirit intervened and prompted Bridget and I with answers that not only answered Richard's questions but progressed the conversation into a deeper topic.

We surrounded the busiest part of campus as students got out of class

The discourse  came to a close with a more open mind on Richard's end towards the real meaning of Ash Wednesday, and an increased confidence and zeal on mine and Bridget's end with sharing the faith and meeting people where they are at. However, this made me realize that if Richard had this misconception about Ash Wednesday, he probably was not the only one. While the ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross (or more commonly a blob as the day progresses) are an outward sign meant for others to see, it's not a product of pride; rather, it is an outward sign of our inward brokenness, which calls us to humility. A sign of our fallen nature that traces back to Adam and Eve which has and will stay with us throughout time. A sign that though we (hopefully) have a relationship with Christ and do our best to follow Him, we are still prone to sin. A sign that despite our sin, we have a God who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us and for our sins to wash us clean in the eyes of the Father. A sign that the only way we can get to the Father is through the Son because of His redeeming love for us even with our brokenness.

"This is context in which the words of Genesis are reflected in the Ash Wednesday liturgy: as an invitation to penance, humility, and an awareness of our mortal state. We are not to despair, but to welcome in this mortal state of ours the unthinkable nearness of God who opens the way to Resurrection, to paradise regained, beyond death." -Pope Benedict XVI, Ash Wednesday homily in St. Sabina, 2/22/12. (For more of the homily, click here: Ash Wednesday Homily, Pope Benedict XVI )

I pray that the Lord will continue to draw you close to Him and that you may answer His call for you during this Lenten season! 

Team WSU with Bishop Quinn of the Diocese of Winona

With Love in Christ,
Emily