Grace & Efren

FOREWORD:
In an effort to utilize my time more productively for Lent 2011, I’ve decided to post a reflection a day, no matter how short. So this is entry Number 1. Wish me luck. Or better yet, say a prayer for me!

“Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel”

That’s what is being said, as they put the cross of ashes on your forehead. Normally, something like this doesn’t hit at the core of me. I think in my journey as a Catholic, and as a Catholic Leader in my job, I tend to become attracted to fancy phrases, memorable metaphors and relatable stories to get my spiritual mind going. But for some reason this year, this very plain, straightforward phrase struck a chord, and it’s exactly what I needed. No fuss, no muss.

I think when I break down my own spiritual journey to it’s very basic (and beautiful) compound it should just be what I quoted above. I guess to paraphrase it in a way that’s easy for me to understand even more is:

Just do what you say you believe.

My Lenten journey this year is all about re-aligning, tweaking and re-calibrating what I say I believe and what I actually do. Sometimes those can be two totally different things.

Hopefully after ye 40 days of Lent (46 if you count Sundays!), I’ll be a more basic person. No fuss, no muss.