Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season, 40 days of preparation and sacrifice in the Christian calendar. It is an important day for many Christians worldwide, as it marks the start of a season of repentance, prayer, and spiritual growth leading up to Easter.
The name Ash Wednesday comes from the practice of placing ashes in the shape of a cross on the forehead, reminding us of our need for penitence and mourning for sins. These ashes are made by burning palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday and mixing them with water or oil.
Although many protestant churches moved away from celebrating Ash Wednesday, it is important to remember its origins as we enter into the season of Lent, which is a time for reflection, prayer, and sacrifice in preparation for the celebration of our Lord's resurrection.
Dear Church, I want to encourage you to spend more time reading and reflecting during this Lenten season. Here are a few passages to read today.
Yet even now," declares the LORD,
"return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments."
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster. Joel 2:12–13Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 12:1–3
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:18–21
