Fresh Starts & Second Chances

 

Deacon David Previtali · Fresh Starts & Second Chances

Homily for Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021. Book of the Prophet Joel 2:12-13. Theme: Fresh Starts & Second Chances 

Of all the seasons of the Church Year, Lent is the most striking and the most ancient. And of all the special days of the Church Year, Ash Wednesday seems to make the biggest impression upon us and, in pre-COVID times, typically draws the largest number of people. Why is that? I think it’s because Lent, and Ash Wednesday which kicks off the season, is all about second chances and making a fresh start. And who among us doesn’t want, doesn’t need, a second chance and a fresh start? 

I think the verses we hear upon receiving the blessed ashes are an inspiration for making this fresh start. The first is, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” This verse is from Genesis 3:19 and repeats the words which God spoke to Adan and Eve after their decision to commit the first human sin. It reminds us that death is a consequence of sin, of our choice to live life on our own terms instead of according to God’s plan. And so, this short verse summons us to never forget that life on planet Earth is just the first stage of our eternal existence. Where we are going to spend this eternity is up to each one of us and Lent allows us to reorganize our priorities with this in mind. Ash Wednesday, then, is meant to be the kick-off to a new reformed lifestyle. 

The second verse goes like this, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” It is a direct quote from Jesus Christ and formed the heart of his preaching. We will hear this verse in the gospel that will be read this coming weekend on the First Sunday of Lent. Let’s take a quick look at the three key words of this proclamation because they set the tone for our fresh start, for our second chance at living a new life: repent, believe, and gospel. 

“Repent” means to have an about face in life; to make a 180 degree turn in our attitudes and behavior. It includes sorrow over our sins and selfishness but goes beyond sorrow, resulting in a genuine commitment to make a concrete change in how we think, how we speak and how we act. 

“Believe” means to trust. Whenever you encounter the words faith or believe in the Bible you can substitute them with the word “trust”. So, where do we place this trust? Well, the last part of the verse tells us where: in the Gospel.

"Gospel", as I am sure you have heard many times. means “good news”.  And the good news is this: that Jesus, in dying for us destroyed the power of sin to control us and our destiny. And that by his rising from the grave, he has conquered the finality of death, opening up to us who trust in him the pathway to eternal life. 

 So, there we have our foundations for a fresh start, for a second chance, no matter how we have been living up to now. The prophet Joel calls this a time of returning to God with your whole heart because he is rich in mercy. The Liturgy of Ash Wednesday, with its distribution of blessed ashes calls this day to be this a time to make a change, to reset our spiritual GPS, and plug into it our eternal destination as Heaven.