What are Ash Wednesday and Lent all about?
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. This is a holy service where those in attendance are invited to come forward and receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The officiant will say, “From dust you came and from dust you will return,” which is taken from Genesis 3:19. The ashes symbolize both death — a reminder of our mortality and repentance — a opportunity to turn from our sins and renew ourselves -- to return to God and ask God to create in us a clean heart from Psalm 51 (see below).
Lent is a 40-day season, not counting Sundays (which are known as feast days), as a time of repentance and spiritual reflection and renewal that culminates with the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on Easter (Resurrection Sunday). During the 40 days of Lent we journey with Jesus from his temptation of 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) and finally sit with him at the Last Supper (Maundy Thursday: Matthew 26:17-30) before his final journey to the cross (Good Friday: Matthew 26:31-27:1-55).
Many use this time of Lent as a self-examination and penitence, through prayer, fasting, works of love,
and reading and meditating on God’s Word.
Meditate on Mark 9:30-37
30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Meditate on Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Clear your mind and pray
Consider these beautiful words to the hymn "Come and Find the Quiet Center" written by Shirley Erena Murray as well as these words from the hymn "Return to God" by Marty Haugen with references to Matthew 25:34-46. Listen to the recording in the song playlist below.
Return to God
Return to God with all your heart,
the source of grace and mercy;
come seek the tender faithfulness of God.
Now the time of grace has come, the day of salvation;
come and learn now the way of our God.
Return to God with all your heart,
the source of grace and mercy;
come seek the tender faithfulness of God.
I will take your heart of stone
and place a heart within you,
a heart of compassion and love.
Return to God with all your heart,
the source of grace and mercy;
come seek the tender faithfulness of God.
If you break the chains of oppression,
if you set the pris'ner free;
if you share your bread with the hungry,
give protection to the lost;
give a shelter to the homeless,
clothe the naked in your midst,
then your light shall break forth like the dawn.