|
We are now in the Season of Lent. It is the most intense spiritual season of the whole Christian year! Lent comes from the old Anglo-Saxon verb for "lengthen" referring to the days that grow longer in the spring. Lent is 40 days long (not counting Sundays) and calls to mind the 40 years God's people wandered in the desert, as well as the 40 days Moses spent on Mt. Sinai and Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness. This is meant to be a time for repentance and renewal for both individuals and the community of Faith.
Traditionally, people usually think of self-denial during Lent and one of the favorite scriptures is Matthew 16:24-26 where Jesus says, "If anyone wants to be my follower, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me."
The Lenten practices include:
* Worship every Sunday and pray each day.
* Study the Scriptures daily.
* Serve with others and practice daily acts of kindness.
* Give generously to the budget and mission of the Church.
* Share your faith with others by your deeds and by your words.
What do the ashes on Ash Wednesday actually represent? The ashes of this holiday symbolize two main things: death and repentance.
Ashes are equivalent to dust, and human flesh is composed of dust or clay (Genesis 2:7) and when a human corpse decomposes, it returns to dust or ash. When we come forward tonight to receive ashes, we are saying that we are sorry for our sins, and that we want to use the Season of Lent to correct our ways.
| 
