Indifference toward Others

Have you seen a person walking around with ashes smudged on their foreheads? If so, you've seen a Christian who has been to an Ash Wednesday service. The ashes are a sign of penance and of grief and a reminder that in Christian tradition humans are believed to come from dust or earth.  You've heard the expression "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust ..." right?

Ash Wednesday, more importantly, marks the beginning of Lent, an important time on the Christian calendar (traditionally 46 days long) marking the period of time that Jesus lived in dessert before his public ministry (40 days). It also serves as a time of reflection before "Holy Week" (e.g. the days before and including Easter). Lent is considered a time of penance, a time when Christians are to remember their humanity, imperfection, and sinful nature. They are also to remember the pain that is in the world, including violence and structural injustice. It is a time of fasting (e.g. not eating meat and rich foods) and refraining from festivity. (Hence, Carnival or Mardi Gras is the period celebration and excess leading up to Lent.)

Typically the Christian who observes Lent (not all Christians mark Lent) gives up something during the six weeks as a way of remembering Christ's time in the dessert sacrifice, where he fasted, and his life of sacrifice. Some Christians, however, mark Lent by taking up a particular practice, such as contributing time and resources to fight homelessness. This year Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, has suggested something along those lines, as he is asking Catholics to give up indifference to other people.  Click HERE for a short piece on this interesting call.