Miércoles de Ceniza

“ ‘Pray to your Father in secret’ ” (Matthew 6:6).

Lent has begun, here in Bolivia and in all Christian communities all over the world. At Maryknoll, in lieu of our Wednesday morning conference, we observed Ash Wednesday with a prayer service led by the director of the Maryknoll Mission Center, Padre Alejandro Luis Marina. All students and all staff gathered in the mission center chapel and listened as Padre Alejandro offered an interpretation of the meaning of Lent. He broke it down into three parts; caminar, or walking alongside the poor who have been sinned against and suffered; convertir, or total change of heart and mind away from sin and destructive behavior, leading to group change and social transformation; and solidaridad, a profound sense and state of identity with our neighbors, especially the poor, and with all created things, leading to reconciliation and unity.

We did not merely listen to Padre Alejandro expound on these meanings of Lent. We enacted these meanings in ritual, gathered as we were in the chapel. First, for caminar, each of us wrote down on colored sheets of paper the evils that the peoples in our respective countries suffer. Second, for convertir, we named the evils we had just recorded. One side of the chapel would name the evil, and the other side would respond with the refrain, “Conviertas.” After this call and response, for solidaridad, we stepped out briefly from the chapel into the mission center garden to touch Mother Earth. Some of us caressed the flowers, grass, or leaves. I stooped to the ground and scraped out of it half a palmful of soil, still moist from the thunderstorm that flashed over two hours before. As I contemplated my dirty dusty fingers in the chapel, Padre Alejandro pronounced upon us the Church’s ancient formula of cosmic solidarity: “You are dust, and you are dust, and to dust you will return.” Then we anointed one another with blessed ashes, each one anointed taking the dish and anointing the next one. It’s the first time I have put a smudge on someone else’s forehead—usually I’m getting the business from a priest—but I did it, and I recited the formula in Spanish. With a final benediction from Padre Alejandro, we went on our way. Several of us remained afterward for the midday celebration of Eucharist with Padre Juan, another Maryknoll priest in residence at the mission center.

Then I returned to the convent. My school day is done, but my fast will continue until 8 o’clock, when the friars have dinner. While I take a siesta this afternoon, I will contemplate the Church’s program of social action for this penitential season—prayer, fasting, and giving. And, returning to the themes of yesterday’s post, I will ponder how to declare, in spirit and truth, “I have given up everything and followed you.” Today’s Gospel gives good counsel: begin to say this by saying it in secret to the One who is with me in secret.