You might have had other plans for tonight. Maybe a romantic dinner, an evening out, yet here we are, in church, on Ash Wednesday, entering a season of repentance when we seek to literally “turn around” and focus our lives on God once again. It’s such an inconvenient Ash Wednesday. Why does it have to be on St. Valentine’s Day?

We often think that Ash Wednesday and the season that follows are dour and melancholy observances. It seems an oxymoron to say that we are ‘celebrating’ Ash Wednesday. Confessing our sins, and smearing ashes on our faces isn’t exactly walking through Disney World. Yet in a culture that denies the reality of death and avoids mention of weakness and suffering; one that is nonstop, with instant news feeds, streaming video, and a culture that doesn’t promote self-reflection, this season can be a real gift. It can be refreshing to slow down and reflect on life and one’s spiritual journey. It’s refreshing in the way that truth can be.

Yet the challenge here is that when we slow down and take that time, what we learn can be frightening. This day above all others reminds us of the reality and the truth of sin. Much of the time we get away with saying that we are, after all, deep down, rather nice people, good people who do not need salvation. We know we may not be the best people in the world, but we are not the worst. We are making spiritual progress, lifting ourselves (by ourselves) out of the muck and mire of what the medievals called ‘sin. 

And then comes the Church smearing ashes upon our foreheads, calling us to confession, leading us to plead, not once but three times: “Lord, have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy”. 

We need the season of Lent if we’re going to be serious about our earthly pilgrimage, our journey towards God. The only way we grow is by being honest with God and honest with ourselves about where we fall short, where we sin, and asking God where we need to grow. It’s confessing this in prayer and in the Sacrament of Penance,  it’s finding forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

I know, I know, Lent is inconvenient. It feels like we just celebrated Christmas and Epiphany. Most years it starts a little later in the month, but in reality, none of us are ever completely ready for this season. If we follow our culture, then we will tend to desire resurrection now without ever going to the Cross with Jesus. But without the Cross, there can be no resurrection. 

This season is about truth-telling. It’s as in our responsorial psalm, Psalm 51: “For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always. Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” The penitential rite at the beginning of each Mass acknowledges the social dimension of sin when we pray: “I confess to almighty God and to you my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned… Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault”. In the season of Lent, we mourn our sins and at the same time celebrate the healing ministry Christ left to the Church. We proclaim the truth that sin does not master us. 

We might want Easter now. We can’t wait for the resurrection! It’s inconvenient to wait, yet in this time of forty days, we learn to be a people who speak the truth about ourselves, discovering again the truth that God forgives and raises us all to new life. Use this season to prepare to know the truth of resurrection on Easter Sunday, but for now, linger in this inconvenient season of Lent waiting, listening, repenting; praying, fasting, and giving alms, knowing the God who walks the way of suffering is with us.