Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday. The beginning of the Lenten season; a time to reflect on God's goodness and many blessings that are showered daily on us; a time to seek repentance; a reminder of our own mortality; a reminder of the gift God has given us. What will you do on this Ash Wednesday to prepare for the gift of Easter?

We have forty precious days to open ourselves up most particularly to God, to examine ourselves in the presence of one who created us, knows us, and loves us.



Here's a link to take a look at:

http://www.explorefaith.org/faq/ash_wed.html


Christians don't normally stand out in a crowd. But today, Christians around the world, united as the Body of Christ, will celebrate the beginning of Lent by repeating the ancient ritual of wearing the sign of the cross on their foreheads from the ashes of burned palm leaves.

Lent marks the 40-day period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, when Christians celebrate their holiest observance, the resurrection of Christ. Traditionally, the Lenten season includes fasting, praying, charity and other methods to get closer to God.The mark of the cross made in ashes across the forehead is a visible sign of repentance and a reminder of mortality.

Sin - just what is it?

Sin means that something is deeply wounded in us, that we have weakened or ruptured our relationship with God, and Lent is one time (not the only time though; as God is always present every day and desirous of being in relationship with us every day) where God's desire to heal our relationship meets our desire to be healed.



I encourage you to attend an Ash Wednesday service, to kneel in prayer before God, to confess and repent, and to take these forty days of Lent to open up to God.