Fr. Simon's Letter - February 27, 2022

Many of us have grown up with the story of Cinderella. Some of the great myths and fairy tales in their seeming simplicity mask a disarming depth. They can shine a certain light into the deep-reachings of our soul. Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, an author, offers some insight into this in one of his syndicated weekly columns. 

In “Language as Opening or Closing Our Minds” Father Rolheiser points out that the first thing to notice is that the name Cinderella is not an actual name but a composite of two words, Cinder, meaning ashes, and Puella, meaning young girl. This is not a simple fairy tale about a lonely, beaten-down, young girl. Rather, it’s a myth that highlights a universal, paradoxical, paschal dynamic which we experience in our lives, where, before we are ready to wear the glass slipper, be the belle of the ball, marry the prince, and live happily ever after, we must first spend some prerequisite time sitting in the ashes, suffering humiliation, and being purified by that time in the dust.

The Cinderella story speaks in its own way of what in Christian spirituality we call “lent,” a season of penance, wherein we mark ourselves with ashes to enter an ascetical space in which we prepare ourselves for the kind of joy which can only be had after a time of renunciation and sublimation. 

Ashes are a symbol that is blunt, primal and speaks the language of the soul. Something inside each of us knows exactly why ashes are such a powerful symbol, “Dust you are and to dust you shall return!” Ashes are dust and dust is soil, humus, from which come humanity and humility. It is no accident that ashes have always been a major symbol within all religions. To put on ashes, to sit in ashes, is to say publicly and to yourself that you are reflective, in a penitential mode, that this is not “ordinary time” for you, that you are not in a season of celebration, that you are grieving some of the things you have done and lost, and that silently, some important work is going on inside you.

Lent is a season for each of us to sit in the ashes, to spend our time, like Cinderella, working and sitting among the cinders of the fire – grieving what we’ve done wrong, renouncing the dance, refraining from the banquet, refusing to do business as usual, waiting while some silent growth takes place within us, and simply being still so that the ashes can do their work in us.

During Lent this year, we will focus on the cross of Christ. There will be crosses available in the church beginning Thursday, March 3, the day after Ash Wednesday. These crosses are from Jerusalem and are made of olive wood. We invite you to take one. They are small enough to be carried in your pocket or bag. Let this cross remind you of the sufferings of Christ. May it encourage you to carry your own daily cross with joy and may it also motivate you to help lighten someone else’s burden by helping them carry their cross. 
 

---

Update on the Renew My Church Town Hall Meeting: Thank you to all who participated in the Town Hall Meeting either in-person, virtually, or by sending your reflections and suggestions via email. The purpose of this session was to share information about the Renew My Church process, to stoke the imaginations of parishioners to consider ways in which our parish can continue to grow as a community that is vibrant and full of vitality, and to inspire all to a future filled with hope. As we continue our RMC meetings, we will prepare and send a report of our efforts and findings to the Cardinal and the Archdiocesan RMC Team. The report will then be made available to all. Please continue to hold our parish, the Grouping Feedback and Discernment Team and those of the other parishes in the Archdiocese who are going through this process in your prayers.

As we journey through the Lenten season and the Renew My Church process, let the cross of Christ lead us to the glory of his resurrection.

Blessings!!