ASH WEDNESDAY
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and the first step on the path to Easter. The forty days from today to Easter (Sundays aren’t counted) mirror the forty days that scripture tells us Jesus spent in the wilderness, hungry and alone and harassed with temptations.
In earlier centuries we were expected to suffer in some way to join ourselves to the Jesus who suffered for us. It is still seen as a reminder of our mortality, “You are dust and to dust you shall return,” but in recent decades it is presented more often as a chance to attempt to better ourselves – to replace our pettiness, selfishness, anger and lack of compassion with goodness, with hope, with caring for each other.
Rather than giving up chocolate bars or steaks or alcohol for the forty days, how about if we look for ways to reach out and help others: donate to a local food bank; or an animal shelter; support your locals schools; smile at that grumpy person you always seem to run into at the bank (even when you’d prefer to growl back at them); say “thank you, have a good day” and mean it to the server who hands you your drive-up take-out order; give your older neighbor a ride to the grocery store – and home again; donate your time to any of the dozens of organizations trying to make your area a better place to be…..Kindness matters!
I could go on all day, but you get the picture, I hope. Instead of giving up things that don’t really matter, give yourself away. The world will be blessed by your caring…..and so will you.
HAPPY GIVING!
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and the first step on the path to Easter. The forty days from today to Easter (Sundays aren’t counted) mirror the forty days that scripture tells us Jesus spent in the wilderness, hungry and alone and harassed with temptations.
In earlier centuries we were expected to suffer in some way to join ourselves to the Jesus who suffered for us. It is still seen as a reminder of our mortality, “You are dust and to dust you shall return,” but in recent decades it is presented more often as a chance to attempt to better ourselves – to replace our pettiness, selfishness, anger and lack of compassion with goodness, with hope, with caring for each other.
Rather than giving up chocolate bars or steaks or alcohol for the forty days, how about if we look for ways to reach out and help others: donate to a local food bank; or an animal shelter; support your locals schools; smile at that grumpy person you always seem to run into at the bank (even when you’d prefer to growl back at them); say “thank you, have a good day” and mean it to the server who hands you your drive-up take-out order; give your older neighbor a ride to the grocery store – and home again; donate your time to any of the dozens of organizations trying to make your area a better place to be…..Kindness matters!
I could go on all day, but you get the picture, I hope. Instead of giving up things that don’t really matter, give yourself away. The world will be blessed by your caring…..and so will you.
HAPPY GIVING!
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