Ash Wednesday is one of the most solemn days of the church year, commemorating the fall of humanity into sin (Genesis 3) and each individual’s share in that rebellion and the resulting conflict, confusion, and death. Lent continues for forty days, excluding Sundays, until Easter. The austerity of the liturgy on this most solemn day reflects our Lenten themes. The ashes serve as a sign of our human frailty and mortality, and as a sign of mourning at our sinful nature. They are made from the palms of a previous Passion (Palm) Sunday. Lent serves as a time of self-evaluation and spiritual growth. Christians do this through the disciplines of Lent: • Repentance: honestly admitting the evil in our lives, asking God to cleanse us through Jesus Christ our Savior, and striving to amend our sinful ways. • Prayer: seeking times for meditation and reflection, and time to make our requests known to God. • Self-denial: (fasting) opposing our attraction to the things of this world and focusing instead on the Treasurers in heaven.” • Works of love: sharing our freedom in God’s grace with those around us who need our help.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 23:18:25 +0000
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