Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season for most Christian faiths around the world. I attended our church today and had the imposition of ashes on my forehead as a mark that I belong to Jesus Christ and to God. What does this mean to me? Well, the opening prayer in the Book of Common Prayer which is used by the Episcopal Church has a compelling argument for believing that a man willingly bore an excruciating death at the hands of his fellow citizens with the complicity of the Roman Empire. Here is the prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever.

My father had much to say in sermons about Lent and I will be publishing one soon. Today I am introducing my Lenten discipline for the next forty days. I am a retired teacher, and as such, I have traded in my disciplined life of planning and teaching and correcting papers for a much more laid back relaxed unfocused life. Believe me when I say that I enjoy what I am living now. I do miss interacting with my students. I loved them as though they were my own children.

With all of this ‘free’ time of living a carefree existence, I have relinquished discipline as a major influence in my life. That does not mean I have nothing to do. It simply means I get to choose when to do what I have to do. I have written a book. It has been read by people who have given critical feedback. Supposedly, it has merit and I therefore want to publish it. I am now in the process of doing so. But this takes discipline. A person who wants to get something done needs to be creative and assertive. That takes discipline. I have enjoyed these months of leisure, but the time has arrived for focus and discipline.

Lent provides a perfect opportunity to reestablish discipline in my life. So I will post each day my thoughts and ideas. I want to use my Book of Common Prayer as a guide since it has been guiding me for most of my life. I am a cradle Episcopalian being the son of a priest. I will post part of the Ash Wednesday service and comment about the words and the influence in my life these words have had. I may even offer advice about how we as humans can learn to better serve each other and improve our existence. I am not evangelizing as much as offering thoughtful prayer for anyone interested in finding God and finding a more loving, settled life. And during Lent, pray for me as I will pray for you, regardless of belief or religious tenet. We all live on this blue marble together. There is no other place for us as yet. So, let’s contemplate our existence and learn to love one another as we want to be loved.