Sacer Facere

Ash Wednesday brings so many things to life.  I know, you're probably thinking : What in the world is she thinking?  Yes, we have ashes placed on our foreheads in the shape of the cross to remind us of our finitude,
our sinfulness and how we could not possibly approach heaven without God's grace so completely expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and even more importantly his ascension to the right hand of God.  Throughout the next 40 days, not counting Sundays, we are to contemplate our place in God's creation.  We are to re-member who we truly are.  Life can become so joyous or stressful or boring that we begin to think that it's all about "me".  Lent is a time when we are to re-member that we are not alone, we are not in charge (thank goodness), that we are the beloved creations of our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.  To help us along this journey we have many tools.  The tool most of us think about, is sacrifice; we are to sacrifice or fast something.  But we've so forgotten what even this is all about.

Some people think it's about simply giving something up for Lent.  Some think it's about reminding ourselves of how sinful we are.  Some have no idea what it's about but it's a good way to lose some weight.  :) We try, we do the best we know how but we tend to forget and lose our focus.  We need the Holy Spirit's guidance to constantly point us back toward the One who calls us beloved despite ourselves.

I am one of these needing refocusing.  While reading one of my seminary friend's books the other day, I was reminded of the Latin root of the word sacrifice: sacrificium from Sacer Facere.  Sacer means holy and facere means to make.   Sacrifice means: to make holy.  In other words, sacrifice is when we choose to give something of value to ourselves up so that something of greater value (holiness, wholeness) can be realized. 

Sacrifice is not just about the journey but it's ultimately about the realization of the destination of that very journey.  Lent is a tool that we have to re-member, to put back together, to refocus, to turn ourselves toward, to make holy, to be the beloved creations, the beloved children, the ones called beloved by the One in Three.  Ash Wednesday is the beginning of this journey of coming back to true life and living.

As you journey through these days, may you always know God's blessings through all things, and may that give you life.