Sermon Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022  H. Barbara Bunnik

“When you fast, don’t look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they straighten their faces to show the people that they are fasting.” *)
Jesus speaks these words to the multitude when he announces to them the kingdom of God. What that kingdom of God looks like and how you can become a part of it and taste it. In this context, he also speaks of fasting. He does not need to explain to them what fasting is, because everyone knew that and they practiced fasting. The only question was how to fast meaningfully and sincerely. That question applies all the more to us people who have hardly any more experience with fasting, at least in a religious sense. Someone actively trying to lose weight, often calls this “fasting”. The goal is then weight loss. Eating less is then a matter of benefit and in many cases of being overweight a necessity. But real fasting has nothing to do with utility and necessity. If it had, the practice of fasting in our church and in modern society would never have fallen into such disuse. Because why fast if you don’t aim at and don’t see any visible results? Especially when we hear Jesus say that if you fast, it is better to wash and oil your face instead of scattering ashes on your head. So even external signs could better invisible
So the question is why fast and how? Thats is the point which Jesus adresses. We will all agree that life on Earth is beautiful. A wonderful adventure. We celebrate this in our own circle throughout the year with birthdays and all kind of anniversaries. In society with parties and events. And when we go on vacation. In all these moments we embrace and celebrate life. We celebrate life as a good in itself. But there is also another side to life in this world. The injustice, the abuse, the violence, the disappointments, the losses, the human guilt of everything, too many to mention, including the criminal war in Ukraine these days. Shall we put all that under the rug? Or do we also think about it, not by celebrating, but by forgoing pleasure and luxury at certain moments personally and together? In other words, do we love life and this world only insofar as it is all rosescent and moonshine? And say: otherwise we don’t have to? Is all joy and pleasure just as we say today  actually “guilty pleasure”.That if you’re honest there’s really no reason to party anymore? Or do we also embrace this life and this world with its bad sides and its atrocities. The question is not whether we accept the pain and the suffering and the atrocities. We are not able to at all . But the question is whether we love the world and also accept our own life in the world with its incomprehensible and horrible sides. Only then will we really love life as it is. And then we will also find the energy to work for a better world full of justice and justice despite everything. Then we will always keep the hope burning in us. Then there is ressurrection.
“Dust you are and to dust you will return” is what we hear when we present ourselves to be signed with the ashes cross **). Do we accept life in this world even if it is ultimately nothing more than dust? It seems like the all time low, but the love for life really starts where we don’t run away from it. That is where the fire rises from the ashes. It is precisely there that life really smiles at us as a miracle, a gift, which we can celebrate as something that can never be taken away from us. Life and world without and.
Therefore, this Lent is a call to repentance. “Be reconciled to God,” says the apostle. ***) God so loved this world that he sent his only begotten son into this world, that whoever believes in him might partake of eternal life.
If God loves this world and us humans so much in spite of everything, and we believe in Jesus, then we cannot and should not stay behind. Amen

(c) Martin Los pr
*) Gospel of Ash Wednesday’s Mass: Matthew 6:15-18
**) Ritual of Ash Wednesday celebration
***) Second Letter to the Korinthians 5:20-6:2