Ash Wednesday 14 notes

When I was a child we were told to give up something for Lent, something we liked.I remember trying to show a boy that barbecue chips did not have bbq meat in them. I have fallen into the ide aof trying to do something extra for Lent, a work ethic view of the period.To me the idea was if jesus could fight temptation, give up so much, then we could take some steps toward the same way. It is a move to see that self-indulgence weakens our ability to say yes or no to the right things.

Lent’s root lies in the spring. I tend to see it as a fallow time so that we can plant and nourish spiritual growth.It can be a time to clear the decks to see where we have some internal obstacle sot spiriutal growth.It is a bit of preparation time to examine the undergrowth in our lives, to scout out the dying portions of our spirutal lives , so we can appreicate the resurrections of new life that may already be  ready to burst forth.As the days grow longer, we are asked to more than title some time to spritual preparations.

I do not think there is anything wrong with Lenten abstinence as a sort of spiritual training.We do well with regimens for getting in shape, and if it helps to see lent as a spiritual training time so what? the response will often be that such observance is hypocritical, as if that decide sht ematter. I am giving up complaining about hypocrisy for Lent.When did we come to a consensus that hypocrisy is a grave social sin?Why is utter correspondence between words and action the highest virtue? All fall short on this scale. I prefer a high aspiration and occasional misstep to thorough going selfishness, let’s say. I actually heard someone say that they would prefer being with a consistent villain than an inconsistent person striving to be a better person.I am so tired of people calling church folks hypcirites as if that is a sufficient reason to avoid going to church. a service like this signals our awareness of hypocrisy and our admission of being sinners.

Joel stands against the  stereotype that Israel had a ritualistic faith. what could be more bovious than this call that the ritual signs of mourning and repentance should be matched by internal change and remorse. What could be less magical than the idea that such rituals  are not some sort of divine slot machine. It goe back to the classic definition  the character of god in Exodus, but emphasizes the merciful side of God. whjere is the utterly wrathful stereotype of god?

Ash Wednesday is a public announcement of being broken spiritually. Instead of the mark of Cain, we wear for a bit the mark of repentance, of sorrow over spiritual wrongs.the ashes remind us our our mortality and our limitations. Our bodily chemical may be jsut ashes, but when touched with the spirit of life, God sees them as worth the events that conclude Lent and culminate in Easter’s new life..