Ash wednesday, A day of understanding our Mortality. When the priest says while putting ash on your forehead, "Remember man that you are dust, and through dust you shall return." We have to reflect our insignificance in this world. We have to understand that in the end we are nothing. Like a dust that we stepped on, we will be blown away in the end without anybody minding us. 

In reflecting on th...is, we have to look at ourselves. We have to see our insignificance when we feel that we are on top of the heap. When we feel that people should respect us. When we give so much importance to all the material things that we acquired in this life. In the end, there will be no rich or poor, popular or unwanted people on the street, smart or stupid. In the end, that body that you try to preserve to maintain its beauty by using all the make up in the world, or all the enhancement surgeries will be eaten by maggots as you rot in your coffin, if you are lucky to have one.

Jesus wanted us to always remember our mortality especially on better days. remember when he told us a parable about a aman who harvested so much crops, the man said, "Lucky man I am, what I will do is to build larger storage houses and fill everything up with these crops. I will then live and enjoy life in abundance for a long time." With this God said, "You fool, you will not even taste the fruit of your harvest for tomorrow you will die."

Find time to put your life in the right perspective. Jesus came here to give us life, and live this life abundantly, but He does't want us to focus more on the abundace. He wanted us to enjoy it, by sharing our blessings with the unfortunate. How much happiness do we have, when we give a part of ourselves to the needy. When you have shared something to a stranger without counting the cost, isn't it that there is so much joy in yor heart? That time that there was a beggar looking at your food while you are eating at Mc Donalds, and instead of shoving them away from you, you gave your food to them, or you bought them something to eat, did you remember the joy you have in your heart. Yes, giving unconditionally is something that God planted in our heart. Share and you will see that "God can never be outdone in Generosity."

Remember man that you are dust and through dust you shall return. A simple reminder to help us maintain our humility. A simple reminder for us to live an unselfish life. Don't just show people that dust in your forehead like a trophy that you've won. Showing off will not help your soul. Rather, use that ash for you to repent from all your sins, forgive those who wrongs you, lend a hand to the needy, give inspirations to the desperate, pull the sinners out of the pit of death, and in your insignificance, that ash in your forehead will shine, and will create a living attestation that the life that God gave you was not just wastedas you leave this earth. As this body of yours turns into dust, God will once again mold that dust and make a body for you that will share His Kingdom eternally, for you live your life not to save it, but to lose it in the name of Jesus. A blessed Ash Wednesday to all. (ADAI)