Let us make Crosses!

There are crosses made in God, silver, platinum, diamonds and other metals. God chose us to make this cross by using ourselves personally. I hope you all know where these ashes come from! The journey of the ashes is so fascinating in many ways: it was part of a tree so green and fresh coming into this world; had to be cut off from all that these palms were used to doing and was chosen in the ministry of worship; the first call was so painful that leaving a particular way of life to a life so different and full of surprises; the second call is even more crucial that it goes through a radical transformation experiencing the life of nothingness but now part of the tree of life: The Cross.

Every Christian is on the journey towards the Father. Our Church is a journeying Church. Children are not aware of the spectacular vocation that we receive at the sacrament of Baptism. Jesus tells us ‘I chose you’, thus every call is a choice of God. This awareness leads us to great heights in our spiritual formation that every time we come in contact with sacraments like Eucharist and Reconciliation and Anointing of the sick, we are filled with a numbing effect and chilled skin. We feel great, elated, blessed, honored, comforted, consoled, respected, loved, cared, forgiven, and owned by God.

Though these expressions could reveal the elevation of the palms metaphorically in the triumphant entry of Jesus to JRS, the joy is short-lived. That makes the 2^nd call so special to each one of us that we will be tested like Gold. This fire that burns the palms into ashes is the same fire that decorates the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This flame of love is the reason behind our repentance. We are ready to give up all that make us so powerful, arrogant, proud, important like the fresh palm into people of God’s Power, proud of our weaknesses, humble and loving as symbolized by the ashes.

These 40 days of lent are going to be very crucial to all of us as the readings today are reminding us to put more emphasis on our spiritual life, prayer life and social life filled with acts of charity and kindness. The journey cannot be backwards where we deny these ashes and prefer to stay on as fresh palms – being happy with temporary happiness or even deny the sacraments and say that we don’t need God anymore! – back to the palm tree! We have wandered far enough. Let us group together now to stand together as people of the Tree of Life. Let us make Crosses!