Homily: Ash Wednesday 2014 - 40 days and 40 nights

Ash Wednesday begins forty days of Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.  Down in the school yesterday, we discussed the significance of the number 40.  We find the number 40 many times in scripture.  It is used over 140 times in the Old and New Testaments.  it is the traditional Hebrew number for the duration of a trial of any kind, when times are hard a person’s faith is tested.

Noah and company were in the confines of the cold, wet ark for 40 days and 40 nights during the flood.  The Israelites were led by Moses for 40 years in the desert.  Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness where the Son of God himself was tempted by Satan. 

Ninevah had 40 days to repent of their wickedness, unless they be destroyed.  So they dressed in sackcloth and covered themselves with ashes as a sign of their repentance.

Most baseball teams in spring training split into two groups and each play 20 games.  So each team plays 40 games, practicing the basics, getting ready for the new season.

Also, a woman carries a baby in her womb for 40 weeks, as it grows inside her, preparing for life in the world.

Each of these 40s are not-so-comfortable periods of preparation for something new.

During Lent, we undergo extra prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in order to prepare ourselves for the new life of Easter.  These are the basics of the Christian life, so like the baseball teams in spring training, we Christians go back to the basics that we should be practicing all year round.

Ashes remind us today that we are mortal, that we are dust, and to dust we shall return as a consequence of Adam’s sin.  We acknowledge our need “to be reconciled to God” through repentance, and through the forgiveness that comes through Christ’s blood.

“Behold, now is a very acceptable time” as we heard in our second reading.  It is acceptable, it is good, it is right, that we come before God humbly, acknowledging our need for his mercy, acknowledging our desire to be reconciled to Him fully, in all things: that our thoughts, and attitudes, and behaviors, and decisions may be those of Christ, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.