Pastor's Corner

Why do we attend Ash Wednesday, the Church’s service of repentance? For some, the reason may be a simple sense of obligation. Others come out of habit, instilled long ago, perhaps in childhood. Still others are drawn by a deep conviction that Lent offers an opportunity to focus once more on the marvel of God’s love, a love that stands taller than both sin and death. And for others, it is the ritual itself that is so compelling: the hymnody, the prayers, the ashes, and the profound truth spoken over us: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The repentance of Ash Wednesday is not mainly about particular objects or activities. It is about our all-important relationship with God. On this day, we acknowledge that our relationship with God can become ashen: dry, distracted, and lacking life. Ash Wednesday is God’s gracious invitation. The Lord calls us to return, to ask for a clean heart, and to confess our total dependence upon His grace and forgiveness.

How does God respond to our ashen lives? God responds through the cross, first traced upon us on the day of our Baptism and recalled again in this Lenten season. The cross is as much a part of our story as it is of Jesus Himself. Repentance is possible because the cross is a living reality for all the baptized. In Christ, the Father does not turn away. He receives us, cleanses us, and restores us.

Repentance, turning back to God, is a worthy focus for the forty days of Lent. In these days, often called the church’s springtime, may our lives blossom again in faith and love, as we return to the Lord our God.

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We’ll gather for Ash Wednesday worship at noon and 7:00 PM on Wednesday, February 18. The imposition of ashes will begin 15 minutes before each service. If you would like to receive ashes, please plan to arrive early so we can begin worship on time.