Ashes of Hope

We begin our Lenten journey this year on February 26th with Ash Wednesday and it ends 40 days later, not counting Sundays, on April 11 on Holy Saturday (or the Vigil of Easter). Lent is an important time for Christians as we reflect on our relationship to Jesus who is arrested, persecuted, hung on a cross till he dies, and then rises from the dead to make sin, death and the devil nothing to us.

This Lenten journey begins with the smearing of ashes on our foreheads. This ritual is a reminder for us of our creatureliness. Abraham, before he speaks with God, says in Genesis 18:27, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes." This is a way to say how utterly dependent on God we are for our lives. God put breath in our lungs. God gives us food to eat and water to drink. God gives us free will. Who are we in the face of this God if not dust and ashes?

For some reading the above seems depressing, but to me it is life giving and love giving to be reminded of my relationship with God. It is life giving because I am relieved of the burden being in charge, of being responsible for all things. It is love giving because I am reminded to whom I am dependent, on a God who does whatever it takes to give me all I need.

Jesus looks on us with only compassion and love. And this Lenten time is for us to dive deep into this love and to turn back to the ways of life; to turn back to the way of God; to turn back to the way of love.

This world needs us to live and love as Jesus lives and loves us! Please join in this journey for Sunday worship and on Wednesday night soup and vespers. This journey is worth it, I promise!