February 6, 2005

"Remember, O Man, that dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." Venerable words at the imposition of ashes that everyone, regardless of race or creed or nationality or age can understand, unless delusional. We are mortal. We shall die. It is even more certain than taxes. Jesus came into the world to assure us that there is more to it than that. "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who lives and believes in me shall not die forever but shall live." It is the most wonderful promise ever made and comes from the one man who never lied.

Lent is a grand preparation for the Feast of the Resurrection. Do not let the Prince of Lies persuade you that Lent is a sort of unpleasant fraternity initiation or vicious diet. Lent is the gift of a journey toward our eternal glory. It is the very definition of Hell that it is where no one has anything to look forward to. Lent is a journey with a purpose. Gandhi said that there is no way to peace because peace is itself the way. Lent is the way of peace, for the only reason we have Ash Wednesday is that we are on the way to eternal glory. The unbaptized need Christians convicted enough to persuade them that Christ is the source and end of all existence. Otherwise, ashes become a meager and melancholy token. The death of a perfect man who is also perfect God, is an affront to limited human perception. Thus the Qu'ran of the Muslims, like all Gnostic commentary, says of Jesus that "they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them."

But Christ is not a likeness of himself. He is himself, and when he rises from death he says that he is not a ghost. The recent elections in Iraq show the bravery of human beings in pursuit of their dignity, be they believers in Christ or not. Such valor impels the Christian to bring these long-suffering and valiant people to the full knowledge of Christ, not in a spirit of condescension, but as an act of justice to our brothers and sisters.

Christ turns the cross from tragedy to victory. St. Thomas Aquinas said in a spiritual conference: "[The Cross] is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue."

Fr. George W. Rutler