Student Reflection: Ash Wednesday

Good morning Friars. I’m Ryann Michelle Dawson from the Class of 2026. Welcome to Mass.

I’m really excited to speak today. You see, growing up, I loved Ash Wednesday. I've been in Catholic schools since kindergarten (shout out to classic league), but as a non-Catholic, in Mass, I constantly felt separated: you were either Catholic or an “other.” Despite this, there was one day where everyone no matter what religion, background, or culture got the same thing: Ash Wednesday. So, it became my favorite Mass of the year.

 

Fast forward: sophomore year, after Ash Wednesday Mass, in the middle of second period. Someone was getting on my nerves. I’d like to think of myself as pretty patient, but this person routinely annoyed me; and when I turned in my seat to finally respond, I saw the ashes on their forehead. Two things: First, yes this really happened. Second and more importantly, I was reminded of the fact that we’ve all had to memorize: we are all made in the image of God. And, as my Nana tells me constantly: Ryann Michelle, God has no favorites. I quickly remembered that the person who was, albeit, annoying, was equally as much a part of God’s kingdom as I was.

Let's take it a step further. How many of us are Christian? You don’t have to raise your hand if you don’t want to, but it’s a lot of us. Have you heard the saying, "You are the only Bible most people will read." Well, in today’s reading, you’ll hear us referred to as ambassadors of Christ. But it’s not in the way that most of us think – posting on our story, writing a Bible verse on our cleats. No, we’ve all been guilty of participating in conversations like: "She did what with who? I thought she was all Christian-y." Or, "Isn’t that the guy that posts all that Jesus stuff, and he talks like that?" What makes us followers of Christ is not defined by our attendance at Mass, reading the Bible, or knowing who Saint Thomas Aquinas is, but – as the song goes – "They will know we are Christians by our love," and our actions.

So let’s ask ourselves: how am I loving all of God’s people? Not just the ones we want to love – our friends, family, people who subscribe to the same beliefs as us. No – everybody: the atheists, the Muslim, the immigrants, the Packers fans. (That last one is really hard for me.)

God’s grace and love is not like Pop the Balloon – kind of a wild comparison, I know. A lot of us have seen the viral clips. If you somehow haven’t: someone says their attributes and, if people don’t like it, they pop a balloon to show they're not interested. Well, God isn’t like that. No matter the job you work, friends you have, color you are, belief you follow, people you’ve been with, things you’ve said, things you’ve done, or things you should’ve done – God's grace and love are always extended not only to you, but to every other person in this world. And if I can be candid: we (yes, myself included) are all failing at Jesus’ greatest instruction, to love one another as He loved us. When we strip people of their dignity, of their ability to feel safe, we refuse to see the ash cross on their heads and see Christ in them.

So, this Ash Wednesday, let’s reimagine the world we’re in. One where we act like we have a visible mark, like the ashes on our heads, on us every day, letting people see that we represent Jesus, and treat others like they have one too.