Small Child: "Mommy, why do you have that stuff on your head? Why do I have to get it too?"
Mother: "Honey, because...because it is Ash Wednesday. It is just what we do."
Yes, this happened.
I was surprised by how quickly the answer was given, and how matter of fact it seemed. The child asked no further questions. The answer satisfied his curiosity,and that was clearly demonstrated by how quickly he went back to eating his cheerios. I, however, was not satisfied with the answer. The words "It is just what we do" have been rolling around in my head all day and it is only now that I'm realizing why. Those five little words have a lot of power in our daily lives, especially our spiritual lives. As Catholics we are often found most guilty of just doing things "because it is what we do" and by responding to the richness of our faith that way we are not only doing ourselves a HUGE disservice, but each of the people in we come in to contact with as well.
There is a lot that will be going on in these next 40 days that we could totally get away with doing "because it is just what we do" (no meat on Fridays, dirt on our heads, giving things up, taking things on, not saying alleluia at mass...) but I want to put the challenge before you to ask the question that little boy asked his Mom, WHY?! And get ready for the ride of your lives because we've got the next 40 days to learn about the beauty, richness and love that comes with sacrifice.
Got your ashes ready?? I'm all in...are you??
If you want to get a jump start before youth group sunday check out these sites:
Team Catholic
Are you ready?!
Just for fun...
