Ash Wednesday

Ashes. Dust. Death. "You are dust," God told the man on the day that Eden was lost "and to dust you shall return."

Earlier he had said to the serpent: "Dust you shall eat."

Yikes!

"Like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

To eat that is.

Lent reminds us that we have an enemy who is intent on devouring us. Lent reminds us that we have a Savior who became dust and ashes for us, to make our dust immortal. Lent reminds us that at the end of the journey, at the end of return, there awaits the God who has mercy on and abhors nothing He has made and who looks past the sins of men that they may repent (Ash Wednesday Introit).

Memento! You are dust to dust you shall return.
Memento! Dust you shall eat.
Memento! He took upon Himself not the nature of angels, but the Seed of Abraham.
Memento! He made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Memento! Resist him, firm in the faith!
Memento!