Matthew 10:32-42

Faith is a journey, one often fraught with its ups and downs, successes and failures, deep insights, and even deeper doubts.  That is why Lent is such an important season; an opportunity to focus, evaluate, dig a little deeper, and work toward the renewal of our faith and our relationship with God. So, it begins with…ashes?

Barely brush a piece of charcoal and it leaves a dark stain on skin and clothing. You can’t just brush it off either, it takes some intention, soap and water and a good scrub. That is why it’s used as a sign of grief, of guilt and shame, of sin, and a reminder of our need of confession and repentance. None of that comes off easily either.

Jesus challenges us about this by talking about being worthy and He equated it to taking up one’s own cross; an effort we must make in this Lenten journey, this life of faith. He said in order “to find our lives we must lose them.” Or rather, shift our focus from them. Taking up a cross, then, is not so much what we do for ourselves, but what we do to discover this life of faith; putting faith to action…like giving cups of cold water to little ones.

Lent starts with ashes and ends with resurrection; pouring out one’s life for others and as a result we receive a renewed life. Hmmm…sounds familiar…Jesus’ journey was giving up his life so we can learn how to do the same…to experience its fruit, resurrection.

Keep a holy Lent; give yourself away.