Ash Wednesday

I had class during the special Ash Wednesday chapel, but it turned out to be okay because we had our own service in class. Dr. Scranton is ordained (I forget in what denomination), and he led us through a really powerful exercise. We all pulled out five small objects out of our purses and backpacks and placed them on the studio floor. Then we took five other objects that weren't our own and sat back down. He told us to imagine that our house was burning down to the ground that we could only salvage five things, and only two of them could be animate. He then said to choose the five things and have each different object symbolize one of the five things we would save. He then told us that we would walk around the circle, imagining those five things were all we had left in the world. He would tell us when to stop and then give us each a pat on the arm to tell us to let something go and leave it behind. If we refused to let something go, then we died and had to go sit back down. So we all got up and silently walked in the circle. He signaled us to stop and to drop something, which I did. Then we walked. He stopped us again, and I left something else behind. We walked and did it again, and I left another something behind. By then I was only holding a pen and chapstick, representing two very important things/people in my life, and I was forced to let another one go. We walked on again, holding our last objects. He stopped us and brushed my arm. I stood motionless and clutched my final object so tight my knuckles were turning white. I left the circle and went and sat down. Others left with me, all of us with tears in our eyes. The exercise then ended. "What in your life are you willing to save? What are you willing to eventually let go?", Prof. Scranton asked. Then he looked at us seated and asked, "What are you willing to die for?" All was silent for a very long moment. His voice was quivering as he recited, "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (Jn 15:13). "Realizing the true priorities in your life is part of what Lent is all about. Welcome to Lent - go in peace." He ended class by putting ashes on our foreheads as we walked out the door.

For the first time in my life, I think I am truly beginning to understand the meaning of and behind this season of Lent.