Home

Weekly Devotional

February 20, 2012

God’s Peace be with you all.

Esther 4:1-3  When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry;  ² he went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one might enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.  ³ In every province, wherever the king's command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

This week marks the beginning of Lent for this liturgical year.  We gather together on Tuesday evening for once last party before we enter into the season of fasting, weeping, and lamenting.  We gather to have one last hoorah before we confess our sins on Ash Wednesday.  The absolution with that confession does not come that night though.  We leave the church with black crosses on our heads and no word of absolution.  That word will come to us at the end of the season, when we celebrate Christ’s victory over death and the grave.

The distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday reminds us of our own mortality and calls us back to the life of repentance.  In the early history of the church, this was a day to begin public repentance by those who had sinned and wanted to be readmitted to the church.  The ashes that we receive are a reminder to us (and to those that see them) that we are sinful mortals, and that there is something better than this life to come.

            Many people choose to give up something for Lent.  Fasting is a long standing tradition of faith, and it has carried into Christianity.  However, others choose to take on a discipline of spirituality rather than leaving something out.  I encourage both.  Starting (and stopping) something for Lent helps to teach us how our spirituality can continually grow throughout our life.  More important, now is the time that you can begin to think about the spiritual goals you would like to accomplish (and continue!) before Easter.  The 46 days between Lent and Easter is a perfect time to reflect on those goals and work your way to fulfillment. 

In our prayers this week: Ann, Daniel, Brent, Barbara C., Barbara (Pat’s sister), Scott S., Mike C., Charles, Wendy S.