Bible readings from the Revised Common Lectionary: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51; 2nd Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21.
A fast is proclaimed. An assembly gathers, walking in procession to have ashes placed on their foreheads, while the refrain echoes, “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.” The cross received is not to be dusted away as we go forth from the church. It is worn in solidarity. We rend our hearts to turn away from our sins — self-centeredness, ecological insensitivity, and consumerism beyond our needs — and to stand with the alien and marginalized, globally and in our midst.
How can the solidarity we feel – our faith’s call to emulate the Lord’s compassion toward those engulfed in darkness on the labyrinth of life – become concrete in our Ash Wednesday fasting? Consider spending $2 or less on the meager meal you will eat, remembering how much of the world lives on $2 per day or less. Take the time to place a glass of water on the table, remembering millions that suffer disease, poverty and conflict, for they have no glass of water to drink. May the water remind us of our baptism, which calls us to be Christians not just in name, but by the actions we undertake for justice and peace.
Let your daily walk, used to dispel a sedentary lifestyle, become a fast from consumerism. Place in a grocery bag items you would take if you were going to be homeless, and carry them while you walk. Feel the solidarity by remembering those without shelter — what it is like to place all your belongings in one bag — and think about the earthly treasures we reverence.
As the day wanes, the ash cross on your forehead may be smudged from holding your head in prayerful reflection, creased by sweat from your brow, or withered by rain or sleet glancing your face. You will come to the door of your home, placing a key in the lock. Stepping inside, pause to reflect on all without a key tonight. Pray to God in private for the conversion of your heart to support those you remembered through your fasting today with a commitment to act for social justice.
For on this journey of Lent, with endurance, patience, and kindness, we are called to display a steadfast spirit and to open our lips for systemic change — to move beyond condescending charity to a solidarity which empowers those in our midst and around the world.
Barbara Born, Ph.D., is a freelance writer and volunteer, with interests in urban public policy, the environment, peace, and social justice.
