Suggested Readings:

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Isaiah 58:1-12

Psalm 51:1-17

2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21

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Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025, marks the beginning of the Lenten season in the Christian tradition. Lent commemorates the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan as recorded in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke prior to the beginning of his public ministry.

It has long been the custom to “give up something” for Lent. This idea of sacrifice is to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus made on behalf of humankind. Unfortunately, the practice of giving up something for Lent became an end unto itself with little or no regard for the meaning of sacrifice in terms of one’s life in Christ.

The sacrifice that is necessary is a total rearrangement of one’s priorities and commitments. It is not about losing weight or giving up a much-loved desert. Rather, Lent calls us to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

I find Ash Wednesday to be a particularly meaningful opportunity for reflection and growth. The smear of ash on my forehead, the words, “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return,” remind me of my sin and mortality. I need Ash Wednesday as part of my spiritual pilgrimage. For 364 days, I tend toward selfishness and conceit. On one day, I bow my head and accept the mark of sin’s stain and my need for forgiveness and reconciliation.

As we walk through the 40 days of Lent, I encourage each of us to carefully read the suggested texts. And having read the scriptures to take time to think of the following prompts.

Reflection: what is the text saying to me?

Repentance: what do I need to change in my life to more perfectly align with God’s will?

Reconciliation: what actions can I take to be reconciled to God and others? Who do I need to forgive and to whom do I need to ask forgiveness?

Renewal: when my spirit is right within me and my priorities are aligned with God’s will, there will be a spiritual revitalization that will prompt me to live into God’s purposes for my life.

Lent is often described as a journey, and indeed it is, but it is much more than a journey of 40 days. It is a journey of a lifetime that leads one into a life of loving sacrifice that represents Christ in a broken and sinful world.